Book Review: The Razor's Edge (W. Somerset Maugham)

by Jiayun

Imagine religion, satire, social status, London, and Paris in one novel! That's what The Razor's Edge is made of. The story is told by Mr. Maugham himself - he describes the lives of four major characters: Larry, Isabel, Gray, and Elliott.

Larry is an idealistic young man who searches for his identity and belief in God. His fiancée, Isabel, is the exact opposite of him. Instead of enjoying the simple aspects of life, she must have the most expensive material goods a person can have. Her taste of luxury destroys her engagement to Larry. In this sense, the novel is an excellent study of relationships between humans. Unfortunately for Isabel, she is unable to realize the true meaning of love. By settling down with the wealthy man, Gray, she never finds the true meaning to a fulfilling life.

Elliott is by far the most arrogant snob I have ever read about in a novel. However, he somehow possesses traits which detract the reader from his haughtiness. Maugham masterfully portrays Elliott with sentiment. In the end, Elliott becomes a person the reader can identify with.

French is a minor part of the novel. Words such as: mon cher, monsier, and patron are common. Although there are some phrases, which are a bit strange, one can grasp the general gist of the novel. For those French lovers out there, there is an extremely memorable conversation between a prostitute and her boyfriend.

Overall, the novel challenges the differences between idealism and realism and the concept of love.