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3.6 AVERAGE
3.6 AVERAGE
challenging
dark
reflective
medium-paced
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
dark
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
challenging
dark
reflective
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
An interesting book. Made all the more interesting when a road you used to live on is name checked several times. McEwan always brings such great stories, insight and perspectives to his novels.
This time it’s written from the perspective of an unborn child in the mother’s womb as the mother plans to take part in a murder. Thoroughly enjoyed everything about it.
I’ve listened to several books performed by Rory Kinnear and he is always a delight.
This time it’s written from the perspective of an unborn child in the mother’s womb as the mother plans to take part in a murder. Thoroughly enjoyed everything about it.
I’ve listened to several books performed by Rory Kinnear and he is always a delight.
dark
funny
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
dark
funny
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
(3.5*)
“Pessimism is too easy, even delicious, the badge and plume of intellectuals everywhere. It absolves the thinking classes of solutions. We excite ourselves with dark thoughts in plays, poems, novels, movies.”
Written from the perspective of their unborn child, we witness the messy break-up of the parents, Trudy and John. There is no love lost, as Trudy has turned to John's brother Claude as her new romantic partner. When John becomes more and more of a nuisance, they concoct a plan to rid themselves of him and make a profit too.
The plot is fascinating, the characters are horrifyingly evil in a fascinating way but the perspective is quite something else. I confess, I am not entirely sold on it. At times, the infant was the perfect perspective, being the one who has yet to live but can already sense the immense burden this will put on his young life. However, the perspective was also just cringy in several passages, where McEwan has the baby playfully tug the umbilical cord to ask for more wine once the mother has started drinking. That was just too much for me.
Though I felt this should be mentioned, don't let it discourage you too much. I still very much enjoyed this book and still find McEwan's literary skill to be exceptional! I would still recommend the book, just be prepared to look past a few things and then you get to enjoy an exciting, past-paced intense story from a frontrow seat.
“Pessimism is too easy, even delicious, the badge and plume of intellectuals everywhere. It absolves the thinking classes of solutions. We excite ourselves with dark thoughts in plays, poems, novels, movies.”
Written from the perspective of their unborn child, we witness the messy break-up of the parents, Trudy and John. There is no love lost, as Trudy has turned to John's brother Claude as her new romantic partner. When John becomes more and more of a nuisance, they concoct a plan to rid themselves of him and make a profit too.
The plot is fascinating, the characters are horrifyingly evil in a fascinating way but the perspective is quite something else. I confess, I am not entirely sold on it. At times, the infant was the perfect perspective, being the one who has yet to live but can already sense the immense burden this will put on his young life. However, the perspective was also just cringy in several passages, where McEwan has the baby playfully tug the umbilical cord to ask for more wine once the mother has started drinking. That was just too much for me.
Though I felt this should be mentioned, don't let it discourage you too much. I still very much enjoyed this book and still find McEwan's literary skill to be exceptional! I would still recommend the book, just be prepared to look past a few things and then you get to enjoy an exciting, past-paced intense story from a frontrow seat.
Uneven - sometimes it captures the reader, other times it makes her impatient to finish. Some dramatic peaks the reader will remember. An unusual point of view for a novel!