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Brideshead Revisited, a great read and, in my opinion, much better than the film versions!! (I saw the 11 part series in the 80/90's, and a recentish movie, but hadn't read the book before.)
As to themes, for me the main theme was the all pervasive, totally consuming, brainwashing of Roman Catholicism. I know that Waugh converted to Roman Catholicism when in his twenties, but I can't see how he reconciled himself with it because in this novel (written during WWII) he constantly points out through the Flyte family the strange and perverse influences it has had on all their lives - their various addictions to their religion combined with their various withdrawal symptoms and then ultimately addiction again.
As for Ryder, Waugh doesn't give him a personality at all ..... very bland fellow who reveals no feelings for anyone, not even his children. (Did he ever meet his daughter I wonder??)
I don't think there was a homosexual relationship between Sebastion and Ryder, it was just straight 'boy love' from Ryder's perspective I think. And after all it was the 'family' that Ryder was enamoured by.
Can someone tell me what happened to the stately home, was it sold, because at one point in the book the father was supposed to have sold it to pay for increasing debts, and Ryder was asked to paint various rooms and aspects of it (which he did). But then they were living in it again. So, I'm a bit confused by this point ....
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