You need to sign in or sign up before continuing.
Take a photo of a barcode or cover
![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
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:
Complicated
I quite enjoyed this book for it's exhaustive and complete attention to the protagonists stream of consciousness over the course of one single eventful day.
emotional
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I know people love this writer, and I read Atonement years ago, I just don't seem to jive with his prose. I can't totally identify why. However, I do have to say, if you pick up this book, I can promise you it will bring you heavily back to that time when were about to wage war with Iraq, and if you are like me, you were in heavy thinking mode about the state of this world. Also, it has quite a twist in the end.
I read the first 55 pages of this book, and feel that I already know the protagonist better than I know myself. I gave up when he went to the bathroom. I really don't care to know what position this guy uses to urinate, or how he feels about it. I just want the story to start.
challenging
dark
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
A painfully detailed account of one man’s Saturday. The day starts out extremely ordinary, but a minor car crash leads to a complex turn of events.
I frequently thought that this might be the most boring book I’ve ever read, but the last 80 pages or so picked up the pace.
There was a strange amount of detail in the subject of neurosurgery (down to the type of suture used in a procedure) and squash that didn’t seem particularly necessary to the story. It reminds me of how I feel about combat scenes in action movies - while it showcases skill and artform, I take no particular interest in it and has no implications to the storyline.
There was an underlying theme of fragile ego and pride in one’s work/calling/life with characters in the top of their respective fields of law, medicine, music, literature, squash and swimming.
I really appreciated the passages dedicated to dementia.
I gave this two stars because it took me forever to finish. I get that McEwan is a skilled writer, and sometimes it is nice to watch someone flex his linguistic muscle. But other times you need a compelling read, and this one just didn't do it for me. None of the characters or the situations sucked me in as a reader. I much prefer Atonement and On Chesil Beach.
Not as good as On Chesil Beach but still really good. Going to read Atonement next I think.
Quite an enjoyable read. I was taken by the author into the mind of Henry Perowne, the central character of the story. Though slow moving in some parts, the storytelling is quite compelling, showing us glimpses of the random thoughts that constantly find their way into our minds when we least expect them to, and how much these thoughts can impact our daily lives.
Quite a thought-provoking read, I would say.
Quite a thought-provoking read, I would say.
challenging
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes