Search - On Chesil Beach

I just finished On Chesil Beach and it quickly moved into my top two books by Ian McEwan, the other being Atonement. McEwan efficiently provides the back stories of his two young protagonists and movingly depicts a wedding night decision that changes the course of their lives. A quick read full of memorable scenes of shared love, ambition and sexual insecurities, McEwan portrays a relationship that symbolizes the cultural divide of the 1960's, and captures the nostalgia and regret that often haunt us in our own lives.

This was my first time I read anything by Ian McEwan, but I am extremely impressed. At times the book can be hard to follow, it is creatively written. The characters are shown with all of their own flaws. At the end, I sat thinking about how one moment can change your whole life. Great book.

Like all his books, this is a carefully and eloquently written novel. The pace moves briskly, perhaps because of its length. McEwan expertly describes the insecurities of the two main characters. All of his books (including this one) are wonderful.

Ian McEwan is one of my favourite authors; he displays his usual prolific and page turning ways in On Chesil Beach. Highly recommended!

This little book left me introspective and sad. Told in a unique McEwan style, the book emphasizes that momentary decisions have lifelong consequences (similar in someways to Atonement). It's also a period piece of a time when sexuality and family secrets were kept tightly under wraps.