As is the norm with this eminent authors'
books, we have a relatively short novel that centres around a single main
character; in this instance, a high court judge by the name of Fiona Maye, but
as is also the norm, we find ourselves unable to put the book down until we've
read to the end.
How a mundane trip in a car, or a
relatively boring night, sifting through paperwork, keeps one enticed, is still
beyond me, but it does, and before we know it, we’re in a courtroom, we’re by
the bedside of a dying teenager, we’re reeling from the absurdity of her husband’s
proposal of an open marriage, and we’re biting your nails in anticipation of
her ruling.
After several rulings - on whether parents
have the rights to decide their children's fate or not - we reach the core of the
book, the central plot.
Her ward, a young boy of seventeen, is
refusing treatment on religious grounds, and also has the backing of his
parents and the elders in the community, but needs urgent medical attention if
he is to live.
Will she go against his wishes? Will the
law allow it? If he survives, what will become of him? Will he be ostracised,
or welcomed home with open arms?
This book doesn't quite have the grit and
verve that I found in Sweet Tooth and it doesn't have the explosive ending of
Saturday, but it does have superb characters, with a depth of emotion that
renders them very believable.
Ian McEwan is fast becoming a firm favourite
with me; long may he continue writing genuinely interesting books, about
everyday life but with a twist.
On a personal note, I like a long book as
much as I like a short one, so please, please, please Mr McEwan can we have
something around the five hundred page mark next time? Go on, you know you want
to!
Three and a half star for this one then, and
the bonus that it will only take a few days to read.
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