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3.34 AVERAGE
3.34 AVERAGE
I hate to admit it, but I have never really enjoyed Ian McEwan. I keep reading them hoping I will appreciate the work of a renowned literary fiction author. Sadly, I haven't yet, but bonus points for Sweet Tooth coming close. Worst novel by McEwan goes to On Chesil Beach.
Should be read twice. Once for the pleasure of the story. Twice for the pleasure of seeing how McEwan did it.
I have mixed feelings about this book......took too long to read - I just couldn't get it read despite reading it. (does that make sense?) I liked the story line despite finding some of it a bit farfetched. The characters were well written and developed. Just didn't love the book.
Not as clever as it needed to be. For a better literary exploration of meta-fiction themes, read [b:Atonement|6867|Atonement|Ian McEwan|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1320449708s/6867.jpg|2307233]. For more enjoyable spy fiction along the same grain, read [b:Restless|72148|Restless|William Boyd|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1330951946s/72148.jpg|865487].
http://www.newstatesman.com/culture/books/2012/08/sweet-tooth-rewards-re-reading-not-reading
I'm mixed about this book as I rattled through it and the last chapter was an interesting twist but I got fed up with the repeated synopses for various other books, the name dropping about other famous authors and the non stop sex that the couple have which was a bit throwaway rather than having any significant part to the story. The plot was interesting i.e 70's MI5 want to promote secretly authors who will denegrate the USSR but overall it is a book that won't linger and as a spy novel lacks the craft of the masters like Le Carre. So on reflection disapointed when I put 'Atonmement', 'Enduring Love' and 'On Chesil Beach ' as real favourites and Atonement went in my WBN top 10.
medium-paced
This was a bit pretentious (while pretending to scoff at pretension), but I liked the ending.
mysterious
medium-paced
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I thank Braveheart Books, in upstate NY for bringing this book, with its wonderful cover, into my life. I’ve never been, but early Covid days lead me to find this particular book store in which the owner would take photos of the shelves or certain books she thought I might like and then Id Venmo and she’d ship. It was early, sourdough era, Covid. I don’t remember if she said this was her favorite McEwan or one of her favorite books, but I can understand it being either one for someone even if I don’t feel the same. It’s a damn good book.
I keep oscillating between thinking this book is quite clever to thinking it’s too clever for its own good. It doesn’t help that I had a feeling we were headed towards the particular twist that wrapped everything up in a nice package.
This is a book about books and spies, and, while normally that would be a fun combination, it’s actually pretty dull when told from the point of view of this particular main character. Serena is, frankly, unlikable and uninteresting; downright tedious for me, as she falls for one man after another. But, but. That writing. Ian McEwan is a fantastic writer.
I keep oscillating between thinking this book is quite clever to thinking it’s too clever for its own good. It doesn’t help that I had a feeling we were headed towards the particular twist that wrapped everything up in a nice package.
This is a book about books and spies, and, while normally that would be a fun combination, it’s actually pretty dull when told from the point of view of this particular main character. Serena is, frankly, unlikable and uninteresting; downright tedious for me, as she falls for one man after another. But, but. That writing. Ian McEwan is a fantastic writer.