Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.13 AVERAGE
3.13 AVERAGE
funny
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
funny
reflective
medium-paced
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
tense
fast-paced
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
The prime minister is a cockroach!
Billed as a “Brexit satire”, this slim, 98-page volume struggles to earn the classification of a novella, being more of an essay on McEwan’s political views set to an old Doctor Who script than anything else. It shouldn’t really have been allowed out of the Guardian.
Worryingly accurate and insightful. Felt a little like hard work at times, but when you step back, the likeness is uncanny.
funny
medium-paced
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Brexit satiiri ei uponnut minuun. Politiikkateema kirjallisuudessa ei yleensä jaksa kiinnostaa minua, mutta lyhyt Torakka herätti uteliaisuuteni puhtaasti sillä, että torakka joutuu pääministerin kehoon ja alkaa operoimaan eduskunnassa pääministerinä. Nopeasti luettua, ihan hyvin kirjoitettu, mutta melkoisen tylsää luettavaa.
I get what McEwan was trying to do, a satire on Brexit and politics in general, but I think it could have been executed better. Maybe I had to read Kafka's The Metamorphoses to appreciate this a bit more.
“And in this moment of scheming, he was richly self-aware, fully alive to the joy of politics at its purest, which was the pursuit of ends at all costs.” In this novella, Ian McEwan presents a funny take on the Brexit fiasco that provides some much-needed comic relieve for exasperated Remoaners. Even though the topic has been written about to death, this is a fresh take that brings out the immense absurdity of the political situation. I really enjoyed reading it and felt entertained without being overladen with politics. The story provides a broader narrative that puts things into a more manageable perspective and, thereby, fulfils provides closure. After all, laughter is the best weapon in the face of uncertainty.