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estelessa's review against another edition
dark
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
ginny17's review
3.0
This is the first Ian McEwan novel I've read. It was not my cup of tea, though I gave it an extra star for its unique and bizarre premise, as well as his undeniable writing talent.
beq3's review
1.0
Awful putrid plot; overwrought metaphor laden prose; weird, middle aged, over-educated, cynical and sneery "infant" narrator.
I'm not at all sure why people say this is original. If he'd made any effort at all to engage with what the psyche of an infant in the womb might actually be like, that might have been interesting. However he just inserts himself into that voice, and so the narrator in the womb is just the author declaiming on events.
In short, the whole thing is horribly unpleasant. Do yourself a favour and avoid.
I'm not at all sure why people say this is original. If he'd made any effort at all to engage with what the psyche of an infant in the womb might actually be like, that might have been interesting. However he just inserts himself into that voice, and so the narrator in the womb is just the author declaiming on events.
In short, the whole thing is horribly unpleasant. Do yourself a favour and avoid.
mooncrab's review
4.0
Such a unique, weird, funny, entertaining story. Lots of lovely writing - more of that than actual action which I would have liked (I’m left feeling mildly unsatisfied the first time around, but the need to read it again), but that’s the magic of Ian McEwan’s masterful writing. The concept is incredible and the fetus’s voice hilarious; I can’t help but envision Stewie Griffin. Brilliant read!
kesslahh's review
2.0
I thought this would be much more exciting than it was. It was just meh, and ended way too abruptly.
litwithlexie's review against another edition
slow-paced
2.5
I liked the concept, but the style of execution wasn't for me. It seems very odd that the baby was speaking like a philosopher which broke the imaginary I had.