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Ian McEwan

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  • 21-02-2010 8:52pm
    #1
    Eliot Rosewater
    Registered Users Posts: 3,745 ✭✭✭


    After mooching one of McEwans book I corresponded with the woman sending it to me, and she commented that "I believe McEwan is a love him or hate him author." What do yee think?


    I had previously read the Booker Prize winning Amsterdam, and I thought it was a grand book. Although I didnt find it great I could see why it won the prize. I recently started reading Atonement and I have to say that Im finding it to be a very very good book (if a little "wordy").

    The character Briony is excellent so far. I know exactly why shes doing what shes doing. McEwan has her nailed!


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    #2
    OxfordComma
    Closed Accounts Posts: 407 ✭✭OxfordComma


    I'm not sure I'd agree with the "love him or hate him" idea, because I personally have mixed feelings on him! I think he's a fairly inconsistent writer, but when he gets it just right, his books can be excellent.

    On Chesil Beach was the first McEwan book I read, and I wasn't particularly impressed by it. It was well-written but not particularly compelling, and despite its brevity I thought it was a bit on the dull side.

    Enduring Love is a good read - it's not as good as some people claim it to be, and there does seem to be something missing from it that I can't really pin down, but it's definitely a worthwhile book to read.

    I'm going to have to disagree with you on Amsterdam, because I hated it. Well maybe "hate"'s too strong a word, but I definitely don't think it deserved either the acclaim it received from critics or the Booker Prize (although, to be fair, the Booker does tend to be awarded to bizarre books that don't deserve it... The Gathering and Life of Pi come to mind here.) I thought Amsterdam was strange (not in a good way), poorly thought-out and had a horribly contrived ending.

    Atonement was the only one of his books I really liked. It was a wonderfully crafted read with gorgeous writing and a compelling plot, although the slow pacing can be somewhat off-putting at times.


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    #3
    Hrududu
    Registered Users Posts: 1,711 ✭✭✭Hrududu


    Eliot Rosewater wrote: »
    The character Briony is excellent so far. I know exactly why shes doing what shes doing. McEwan has her nailed!
    This is what really made me like McEwan. He got inside Briony's head so completely that you really bought her as a character even though you may dislike her.

    I had read Enduring Love a few years ago and didn't really like it, but Atonement put me firmly in the 'Love' camp.


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    #4
    buck65
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,969 ✭✭✭buck65


    Atonement is a good book. Saturday on the other hand is woeful. So I suppose I love and hate him.


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    #5
    JesseCuster
    Registered Users Posts: 62 ✭✭JesseCuster


    In my opinion Atonement and Enduring Love are by far his best books, I really enjoyed both of them.

    I though Amsterdam was decent apart from
    the ridiculous ending!

    I found On Chesil Beach quite forgettable, and didn't care for Saturday at all.

    However I do think he is one of the most interesting British writers at the moment and will always read his new work.
    His latest novel Solar is due out next month I believe.


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    #6
    Eliot Rosewater
    Registered Users Posts: 3,745 ✭✭✭Eliot Rosewater


    JesseCuster wrote: »
    I though Amsterdam was decent apart from
    the ridiculous ending!

    I thought the ending was one of the best parts!
    It showed that these two people, despite hating each other, were very similar at heart. Its an interesting take on character.


    I suppose when I was reading it I was very conscious that there were some reasons it won the Booker, and I probably subconsciously emphasized these in my mind.


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    #7
    JesseCuster
    Registered Users Posts: 62 ✭✭JesseCuster


    Eliot Rosewater wrote: »
    I thought the ending was one of the best parts!
    It showed that these two people, despite hating each other, were very similar at heart. Its an interesting take on character.

    It's a while since I finished it but...
    I remember getting to the end and thinking "Aw, come on! That would never happen!!"
    I do like a twist in the tale but I was never convinced that the two main characters would both go through with their pact.
    One review said that the ending seemed cartoonish and I would agree with this.

    Still, I guess it proves your point that McEwan is a love/hate novelist - he certainly inspires debate:)


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    #8
    Blush_01
    Registered Users Posts: 5,016 ✭✭✭Blush_01


    I really enjoyed Atonement and The Cement Garden but I haven't read anything else of his yet.


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    #9
    OxfordComma
    Closed Accounts Posts: 407 ✭✭OxfordComma


    JesseCuster wrote: »
    It's a while since I finished it but...
    I remember getting to the end and thinking "Aw, come on! That would never happen!!"
    I do like a twist in the tale but I was never convinced that the two main characters would both go through with their pact.
    One review said that the ending seemed cartoonish and I would agree with this.

    Still, I guess it proves your point that McEwan is a love/hate novelist - he certainly inspires debate:)

    I agree. I hated the ending!
    It just didn't integrate well with the rest of the book, and seemed rushed and badly thought-out. And the sheer bizarreness of it really bothered me.


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    #10
    sillybuttons
    Closed Accounts Posts: 48 ✭sillybuttons


    ive read only atonement and on chesil beach and i liked them both! atonement is a great read.


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    #11
    Denerick
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 6,488 ✭✭✭Denerick


    He's on my novel longlist (circa 50 books)


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    #12
    MadRush
    Closed Accounts Posts: 30 ✭MadRush


    He's definitely a like/loathe author.....

    I first read atonement which i adored.....then i read saturday, which i didnt like at first,but came to admire on re-reading, and then his first book of short stories, which immediately hooked me. they are grotesque and enchantingly beautiful in equal measure.

    anyone who liked atonement should look out for the libretto for the opera 'for you', which mcewan wrote...its short, and utterly brilliant...equal to the best he's ever written.


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    #13
    crispsandwiches
    Registered Users Posts: 121 ✭✭crispsandwiches


    read Enduring Love, not very good.

    stalker guy is not very convincing in it.


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    #14
    landsleaving
    Registered Users Posts: 4,345 ✭✭✭landsleaving


    I've only read 'The Comfort of Strangers' but I thought it was excellent, had it's own distinct atmosphere of foreboding. Really drew you into the world he created.


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    #15
    jrd
    Registered Users Posts: 299 ✭✭jrd


    Really liked Saturday, thought it was outstanding. liked Atonement ; less so Chesil Beach.


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    #16
    Eliot Rosewater
    Registered Users Posts: 3,745 ✭✭✭Eliot Rosewater


    I think its interesting the way McEwan subtly compares people in Atonement.
    For instance in the hypothetical part 3, Cecelia and Robbie believe Hardman to be the rapist. However when Briony tells them he's not, they immediately propose sending an apology to him. In a way this shows that the disastrous effects of Brionys misguided beliefs were a combination of luck and her young pride, rather than any innate consequence in the act of believing a lie.

    Also
    the comparison between the nettles Briony started attacking after the failure of her play, and the soldier Nettles who features in the retreat to Dunkirk.


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