Curtis’s Reviews > Maurice > Status Update
Curtis
is finished
Part 4 excellent. Forster wraps sexuality up in other conformities of the time (class) as broad critique. Earlier scenes (Clive in Greece) clicked for me. 2 approaches to the conformity problem; the security of hiding vs the freedom of living truth, issues still grappled over today. Suspense as book examines how fraught it was for gay men. Maurice at times hard to like, at times admirable. Slow middle but very solid.
— 13 hours, 21 min ago
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Curtis’s Previous Updates
Curtis
is on page 173 of 232
Maurice becomes worse in behavior, brooding, etc, once he loses the validation of a partner & forced to see challenge of being gay. Angsty & melodramatic. Don't like him much, but book is aware of this. Greek comparisons continue w/ someone saying being 'Hellenic' worse than atheist, later compared to Bacchus. Much slower than expected, though still lots of ahead-of-its-time commentary on gay struggles.
— May 31, 2026 06:34PM
Curtis
is on page 117 of 232
Plato references make sense, as much of dialogue between men similar to Plato's philosophical dialogues; ruminations on happiness, love, conflict etc. Far more understated/low stakes than expected. More sparsely rendered than Howards End. Confused by Clive's major turn. Interesting how class lines & other conformities blur/break down once Maurice accepts who he is--coming out opens door to broader self-actualization.
— May 28, 2026 06:09PM
Curtis
is on page 59 of 232
Brisk pacing, like vignettes. Conformity, allusions used to hint at sexuality & difficulty of coming to terms with it: how struggle/conflict leads to virtue (militarism); anger at society being permissive of transgressing religion but not sexuality; Maurice acting against his nature because it's what's expected of him (bullying his juniors). Pain feels real, turmoil vivid, though writing sparse in other places. Good!
— May 26, 2026 08:26PM
