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![Saturday by Ian McEwan 4th (fourth) Edition [Paperback(2006)] by Ian McEwan](https://assets.thestorygraph.com/assets/placeholder-cover-a3ae92250eb3301e32dc3eabf8d50576c2f047dda89f6ee7cfa9a859cb1fd746.jpg)
3.48 AVERAGE
3.48 AVERAGE
Saturday follows Henry Perowne, a renowned neurosurgeon leading a hard working but privileged life through the course of a Saturday. When Henry wakes restless in the night, and see a plane in flames land at Heathrow, it sets in motion a series of events which cause Henry to ruminate over existense in the mid noughties, the role of family, terrorism and medical science to name but a few. As the day progresses, events take a more sinister turn, leading Henry to question his comfortable existence and pushing him to the extremes of his moral boundaries.
Conceptually this is a fantastic novel, but it dealt rather clumsily with the big questions of the day. While these arguments may age well, to those who lived through it only 4 years ago it's a rather unnecessary reminder of current affairs of the day. McEwan's writing style touches a little on the over sentimental in comparison to his earlier novels, and there is a huge amount of descriptive prose that occasionally feels a little clunky. The rather judgemental views Perowne occasionally takes on the less fortunate members of society makes him feel a rather selfish character, and quite difficult to warm to, despite his obvious qualities as a family man. Overall, disappointing in view of Enduring Love etc.
challenging
emotional
reflective
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
No me cautivó, aunque las páginas del clímax me mantuvieron intrigada, no me gustó cómo lo resolvió finalmente McEwan.
I drifted in and out of interest in this book. Some scenes were wonderful, such as the one between Henry and Daisy in the kitchen, while others I lost focus reading. Some plot points were far too obvious. Although the characters were intricate and original which kept things interesting. Not my favourite McEwan novel, but some moments were reminders of why I enjoy his novels.
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
A brilliant modern-day take of Virginia Woolf's Mrs. Dalloway (although not the same story).
This book ends with a moral imperative that humbled me.
Ill leave you with this passage on the last page:
"That hunger is his claim on life, on a mental existence, and because it won't last much longer, because the door of his consciousness is beginning to close, he shouldn't pursue his claim from a cell, waiting for the absurdity of his trial to begin. This is his dim, fixed fate, to have one tiny slip, an error of repetition in the codes of his being, in his genotype, the modern variant of a soul, and he must unravel, another certainty Henry sees before him."
This book ends with a moral imperative that humbled me.
Ill leave you with this passage on the last page:
"That hunger is his claim on life, on a mental existence, and because it won't last much longer, because the door of his consciousness is beginning to close, he shouldn't pursue his claim from a cell, waiting for the absurdity of his trial to begin. This is his dim, fixed fate, to have one tiny slip, an error of repetition in the codes of his being, in his genotype, the modern variant of a soul, and he must unravel, another certainty Henry sees before him."
