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The Charioteer
Virago Modern Classics (Book 323)
- Author
- Mary Renault
- Narrator
- Joe Jameson
- Publisher
- Little, Brown Book Group
- Publish Date
- 15 October 2026
- Run Time
- 14 hours 47 minutes
- Format
- Audiobook
What to expect
'An explosive and courageous book' SIMON RUSSELL BEALE
First published in 1953, The Charioteer is a tender, intelligent coming-of-age novel and a bold, unapologetic portrayal of homosexuality that stands with Gore Vidal's The City and the Pillar and James Baldwin's Giovanni's Room as a landmark work in gay literature.
Injured at Dunkirk, Laurie Odell, a young corporal, is recovering at a rural veterans' hospital. There he meets Andrew, a conscientious objector serving as an orderly, and the men find solace in their covert friendship. Then Ralph Lanyon appears, a mentor from Laurie's schooldays. Through him, Laurie is drawn into a tight-knit circle of gay men for whom liaisons are fleeting and he is forced to choose between the ideals of a perfect friendship and the pleasures of experience.
'Emotionally intelligent, beautifully written and deeply moving, it transcends categorisations' Telegraph
Critics Review
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Emotionally intelligent, beautifully written and deeply moving, it transcends categorisations
Daily Telegraph
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A stunningly good book
The Times
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A tender coming-of-age love story from one of the greatest writers of the twentieth century
Daily Express
User Reviews
No reviews yet.
Details
- Author
- Mary Renault
- Narrator
- Joe Jameson
- Duration
- 14 hours 47 minutes
- Release Date
- 15 October 2026
- ISBN
- 9781405569941
- Format
- Audiobook
- Publisher
- Little, Brown Book Group
- Genre
- Modern and contemporary fiction: literary and general, Classic fiction: literary and general, Romance, Fiction: literary and general non-genre
Synopsis
'The Charioteer remains compelling both as a snapshot of a particular - and particularly fascinating - cultural moment, and as a deeply romantic story of love fulfilled against the odds. It has all those qualities that make Mary Renault so memorable as a novelist: craft, subtlety, intelligence, and a terrific natural sympathy with the intricacies of honour and desire' SARAH WATERS'An explosive and courageous book' SIMON RUSSELL BEALEFirst published in 1953, The Charioteer is a tender, intelligent coming-of-age novel and a bold, unapologetic portrayal of homosexuality that stands with Gore Vidal's The City and the Pillar and James Baldwin's Giovanni's Room as a landmark work in gay literature.Injured at Dunkirk, Laurie Odell, a young corporal, is recovering at a rural veterans' hospital. There he meets Andrew, a conscientious objector serving as an orderly, and the men find solace in their covert friendship. Then Ralph Lanyon appears, a mentor from Laurie's schooldays. Through him, Laurie is drawn into a tight-knit circle of gay men for whom liaisons are fleeting and he is forced to choose between the ideals of a perfect friendship and the pleasures of experience.'Emotionally intelligent, beautifully written and deeply moving, it transcends categorisations' Telegraph
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