A review by bigpcanread
The Cement Garden by Ian McEwan

dark sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

i think I enjoyed the way in which the book tackled grief via Jack becoming even more of a gross "thing", Julie taking charge and Tom slowly reverting to infancy. I actually liked the metaphor of a cement garden and how it was an attempt from their father to take control of something in the house (despite how unhealthy) even though ultimately unsuccessful physically or metaphorically and I suppose that being the same thing that encapsulated their mother is indicative of his lasting affects of the family despite him never really being mentioned again

I wasn't a fan of the incest at all and I thought it reduced the character of Julie to just a sex object for Jack which ig is the point(?), either way didn't like its inclusion and almost put the book down after its first instance in PAGE 3 or smt. Derek and sue were by far the least developed with the latter playing no major role in the book and the former was just boring to read, the whole Mr and Mrs O storybeat went nowhere and was I assume just an attempt to pad out the threat Derek posed. Derek only calling the cops once he saw the incest is kinda crazy especially considering him becoming an accessory to the crime l, though now I think abt it maybe that was Julie's idea idk
 EITHER WAY KINDA MID IMO
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