Ian McEwan?!

[dez181]

First part of Antonement was great the developing love story, and then when the main character went off to war and the letters......uggg....just drug on. I love to read "dense" books, but this was just triffling/boring.

I love to read books with depth.....I read anything by Hemmingway and love it! I read Farewell to Arms for kicks, I just need a good story. The story in Atonement was lost on me.....just bored me to tears.

I may try to read something else by him, just not sure. I am not into huge commercial works, Davinnci code and Angels and Demons too hokey for me. I love to read great stories that make you think......Life of Pi is an awesome example of this. I do not enjoy books that have me counting the pages until it ends.....The Reader......ugg.....hated the book.....the movie is the cure for insomnia.
Sorry to digress.......

[LindaGrace]

See, I loved Life of Pi and I loved The Reader!

[scrappinJudy]

Originally Posted by LindaGrace

I don't "get" what there is to "get" about Atonement. Do you have specific questions? Or you just didn't get his writing style? (Trying to understand!)

i just totally came away with NOTHING! I don't remember any more than that; it was a year or more ago. I have a friend with the same reactions to both Saturday (loved it!) & Atonement (didn't 'get it!')

[ctcoldplay11]

LindaGrace, On Chesil Beach does have a kind of weird premise as a previous poster has said, and you may finish reading it going, "How the heck did he come up with that story?" but his writing is just stunning, and I would even go as far to consider it his BEST work. The plot is SO SIMPLE, yet so HAUNTING. The work is nothing like Atonement, a much different pace/feel. So I hope you don't get turned off by McEwan by this book as I can see how one could. But, I'm sure if you have an appreciation for him you will love it!

Also, have you read Saturday? I was going to go buy it and read it!

[LindaGrace]

I haven't read Saturday yet! But I will.

I'm going to go put On Chesil Beach on my hold list right now. I'm intrigued by your description of it!

[Marlow]

I didn't like Atonement either, although I thought I would love it. In fact, I didn't finish it. I may still rent the movie some time.

[Bunjee]

I read First Love, Last Rites and The Cement Garden, and thought McEwan was a decent writer. In Atonement I recognized the great writer he is.

[treeluvr]

Ian McEwen is a favorite. I read "The Cement Garden", "Amsterdam", "Black Dogs", "A Child in Time", "Atonement", and "Saturday".

"The Cement Garden" was very good, but my favorites were "Atonement" and "Saturday".
I prefer novels where the author really develops the characters--so you know what makes them do the things they do. Plot's very important, of course, but I want to understand the "people" in the book and McEwan is very good for this.

[dez181]

Plot, people, and characters.....check out FireFly Lane.....great book.

[Pivot Point]

I love his writing style--so detailed and rich. He is a gifted observer of human nature and the world around him.
Saturday was great, as was Atonement.