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On Chesil Beach

by: Ian McEwan

January 03, 2008
This book is only receiving good reviews by people who think that they 'should' like it...because McEwan wrote it- rather like anything that is written by Rowling.
This is a terrible book. It is over-sentimental, and the characters are not at all like real people. Why pick 1962? Why pick two main characters that no-one can identify with?
Read just the first and last page, and you know the story, the rest is Balderdash and Piffle.

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Atonement

by: Ian McEwan

August 09, 2007
I've never not finished a book once I've started it, but to be honest, I struggled with this one. At the start I didn't warm at all to any of the characters except for Robbie and what followed in the book enamoured me to them even less. But struggle I did and although I found the scenes in the lead up to Dunkirk very hard to read as they were so gruesome, I was glad I persevered. The last 100 pages more than made up for what came before. I'd read "On Chesil Beach" so was expecting the one pivotal moment in life aspect but it was so much more life altering in this book. It did stay with me long afterwards but I think the book could have been shortened a great deal without losing any of it's final impact.

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Enduring Love

by: Ian McEwan

October 28, 2004
There's absolutely no denying Ian McEwan has an incredible writing ability, if you've read Atonement you'll know this all too well! The way in which he makes you engage with the characters is incredible, you really really know how they feel. The only downside I'd say is that the story is a bit bizarre - no plot spoilers but - it wasn't the most believable idea for a plot.
If you like his writing style then I'd say definitely buy this book, but if you're more into a really good story then its a bit farfetched..

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Atonement

by: Ian McEwan

May 02, 2002
I've never read any McEwan before, and generally do not care for modern writers, but I was absolutely floored by his prose. The writing is amazing.


His portrayal of naive, pre-teen Briony is dead-on and eerie, and, even though she is far less developed, I could identify some with Cecelia's feelings of being a bit lost and out-of-place at home after the relative independence of college.


I've read a lot of reviews that are impatient with the slow pace, especially of the first part of the novel. While I agree that it is a novel that immerses the reader fully in descriptions, I think such criticism is a little unfair. It is not a novel that should be read in anticipation of getting to a juicy ending; it's a novel that ... Read More:

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Saturday

by: Ian McEwan

January 05, 2006
Just when I was beginning to think that the PC trend for favouring minority writers - disabled black communist lesbians for example - had gone a bit overboard, I was powerfully reminded why the tide had turned against white middle-aged, middle-class literary prize-winning male academics. Atonement was excellent and original, Enduring Love meaty and compelling; Saturday, though well-written and very readable, is as has been noted ad nauseam, a pretentious lifestyle novel, very full of its own pedigree ('John Grammaticus', for heaven's sake) - oozing well heeled self-satisfaction at every turn. Sure there's nothing wrong with class, but this is so self-consciously attuned to the lifestyle must-haves of 'people like us' that the characters lack all integrity. ... Read More:

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For You

by: Ian McEwan

June 05, 2008
This libretto is the text for the opera For You which opened earlier this year. Not knowing exactly what this was, I bought it because McEwan is one of my favourite writers and I have read almost all of his books. This is a VERY short read - only about 60-plus pages with very few words on each page - but it is nonetheless excellent and well worth reading. The story and quality of writing are classic Ian McEwan, but the opera format gives this another dimension beyond that of his novels in that the language has a real poetic and melodic quality. I have already booked tickets to see the opera. Highly recommended.

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Atonement

by: Ian McEwan

August 01, 2007
I have already raved about this book in the form of a paperback - see my other review there. But for a wonderful book to be read so beautifully with such expression by a voice as rich and resonant as Isla Blair's is a real pleasure. She depicts the different characters with great expression and real attention to the nature of the characters, from the main Briony narrative to the "little boy" voices of Jackson and Pierrot, and the booming complacency of Paul Marshall.
I have whiled away many hours of tedious driving listening to this audiobook in the car. A real pleasure.

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The Cement Garden

by: Ian McEwan

June 05, 1997
Ian McEwan is a wonderfully gifted writer and in this, his first novel, he displays his talent. He tells the story of a group of dysfuntional children surviving after the death of their parents. He certainly gets inside the head of Jack, the 15 year old protagonist, with all his doubts, selfishness and youthful insecurities. The writing is very skillful but it is never inspiring, entertaining or enjoyable. It is depressing, sinister and morbid. Although this book is well written I much preferred his other novels such as Atonement or Saturday.

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On Chesil Beach

by: Ian McEwan

March 23, 2007
I decided to read this after it receiving good reviews and I'm so glad I did. It was easy to read and very easy to imagine as I live not far from the setting. It highlights anxieties we all face and the awful consequences of not saying something due to pride.

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Amsterdam

by: Ian McEwan

November 03, 2005
The Booker lost all credibility when it was awarded to this drivel; I can only imagine that the panel either consisted entirely of McEwan's literary pals or else that it was some kind of belated attempt to...er...atone for the passing over of the brilliant Atonement a few years earlier.

Both decisions are incomprehensible.