Officers and Gentlemen - post I

Sometimes the break between two books the follow each other can be used as a chance to introduce some more back story or to roll out some fresh characters.

In a comforting way Waugh just sticks with picking up where things left off. The opening pages set Guy against a backdrop of a London being torn to bits in the blitz and although he is meant to report back for a hearing no one seems to know what is going on.

As before the war the real jobs worth having are being given out at clubs between friends and Guy is advised to hang around if he wants to get involved with something interesting.

But wherever Guy goes he seems to be unwanted. A bit like his father, who is under pressure to give up his comforts in the boarding house, the war seems to be all about displacing people.

The limited number of characters are all roughly reunited with Guy being sent to the commando training camp run by Tommy Blackhouse, his ex-wife’s former husband. Meanwhile the ex-wife is in Glasgow down on her luck and prepared to enjoy a few days being pleasured by Trimmer her old hairdresser.

Guy meanwhile is just focused on finding a role and getting stuck back into the war.

More tomorrow…