4 member(s) found this review helpful.
Simply excellent. Saw the film first, which I thought was good, but this far exceeds the film. Mcewan is a wonderful writer.
2 member(s) found this review helpful.
Currently, I am on an Ian McEwen tear. After reading Atonement, Saturday, and On Chesil Beach, I've made it my goal to read all of his writings.
The premise of this book is very interesting, and McEwen does not disappoint--much. The moment when several men converge to save a boy in a runaway hot air balloon is brilliant; however, the characters affected by the tragedy do not live up to this. McEwen never gives the reader any reason why events and people come together, which leaves a large hole that the reader cannot fill in. Additionally, the ending is anti-climatic.
While this sounds negative, I always enjoy reading McEwan's books because his writing is excellent, and his attention to the characters' thoughts are interesting.
The premise of this book is very interesting, and McEwen does not disappoint--much. The moment when several men converge to save a boy in a runaway hot air balloon is brilliant; however, the characters affected by the tragedy do not live up to this. McEwen never gives the reader any reason why events and people come together, which leaves a large hole that the reader cannot fill in. Additionally, the ending is anti-climatic.
While this sounds negative, I always enjoy reading McEwan's books because his writing is excellent, and his attention to the characters' thoughts are interesting.
2 member(s) found this review helpful.
This was a good book but the author couldve told the same story with a way less amount of words. His tendency to veer off into scientifical stuff got old fast but I just skipped those parts & the story itself was enjoyable.
2 member(s) found this review helpful.
McEwen is a master of point of view. I love how he takes one moment and writes a whole novel about that moment and all the implications.
2 member(s) found this review helpful.
A very strange and interesting book. You'll probably find yourself trying to out think the plot, but the book keeps you guessing until the VERY end.
Like all of Ian McEwan's books, this was great. It pulls you in and you can't put it down until you see how it ends. Very interesting in that the idea for the novel came from an actual case history.