2.5 stars. I knew beforehand that apart from Brideshead Revisited, Waugh's novels are quite light and humorous, which was why I have been avoiding reading more of his stuff. This didn't make any exception in my aversion for reading humorous literature. I can still appreciate the sharpness that black humour gives to the story, but I still didn't care for the caricaturish characters. Then again, the personalities of the Los Angeles British community were quite good.