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3.34 AVERAGE
3.34 AVERAGE
The most boring spy novel ever. The most boring Ian McEwan novel ever. And I say that as a McEwan fan. The prose is flat. The characters are flat. The plot (to the extent there is one) is a snooze. The contrivance at the end is annoying. Firm thumbs-down.
Serena é uma personagem incrível que todos podem se relacionar, mas a trama é sem graça.
That was utterly ridiculous. Strangely, I still enjoyed it. Something about the repetitive ludicrousness just charmed me.
For the first few sections of the book, I thought it was rather boring, especially since I didn't follow the MI5 jargon very well. It is all worth it for the last few pages. Yes, it plays to McEwan's propensity for metafiction, but it is such a clever twist.
This book has appeal to various interest groups. If you like math, espionage, literature, love stories, the Cold War and the 1970's, you'll find something to appeal to you in this book.
A book description on Amazon stated, "In this stunning new novel, Ian McEwan's first female protagonist since Atonement is about to learn that espionage is the ultimate seduction."
Rawr.
A book description on Amazon stated, "In this stunning new novel, Ian McEwan's first female protagonist since Atonement is about to learn that espionage is the ultimate seduction."
Rawr.
In this, as with his other novels, his ability to let the story unfold is absolutely genius. The characters are written just right--sympathetic enough, compelling enough and just flawed enough. Their decisions, similarly, are always believable even when you wish they would choose are act differently. Although the look at MI5 and England of the 70s is well-done and an intriguing backdrop for the novel (and I think a little self-consciously made fun of when the main character talks about only liking books that describe a world she knows), the setting is not the story, which is in the end a love story. As always, McEwan's character studies are perfect and beautiful, his ability to parlay his research into balanced narrative is among the best and his insights into human nature are valuable.
Nothing will ever be as great as Atonement, but there are aspects of this story that are in stark contrast to Atonement and On Chesil Beach that I really appreciate (but would be spoilers to explain more here).
Nothing will ever be as great as Atonement, but there are aspects of this story that are in stark contrast to Atonement and On Chesil Beach that I really appreciate (but would be spoilers to explain more here).
Surprised I made it through this one. Considered stopping but kept going in hopes of some “reward.” Ultimately too meta for my tastes.
It was okay. A little dull and slow-moving for a spy novel, but that's McEwan for you.
I seem to either love or dislike Ian McEwan's novels. I adored Enduring Love, but think I was too young when I read Atonement, and I have to say that I was also not impressed with Sweet Tooth. For me the author does not have a very authentic female voice, and Serena was never believable. I never became totally immersed in the story, as a lot of it felt a bit like showing off. I liked the ending, but it was not enough to change my mind. My opinion of this book is in the minority, so please don't let it put you off reading Sweet Tooth.
The Story: Sweet Tooth deals with the experiences of its protagonist, Serena Frome, during the early 1970s. After graduating from Cambridge she is recruited by MI5, and becomes involved in a covert program to combat communism by infiltrating the intellectual world. When she becomes romantically involved with her mark, complications ensue.
The Story: Sweet Tooth deals with the experiences of its protagonist, Serena Frome, during the early 1970s. After graduating from Cambridge she is recruited by MI5, and becomes involved in a covert program to combat communism by infiltrating the intellectual world. When she becomes romantically involved with her mark, complications ensue.
Ugh... So disappointed in this one- I'm halfway thru and not sure I can finish it. I loved atonement so was excited to read this, but it's fallen short for me. I'm still not quite sure what the point is the book is yet.