The Charioteer

''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 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