Monday 24 August 2015

The Children Act by Ian McEwan


'A gated com­mu­nity of a his­tor­i­cal sort, a fortress of bar­ris­ters and judges who were also mu­si­cians, wine fanciers, would-be writ­ers, fly fish­er­men and racon­teurs."

There is a clear reason why Ian McEwan has consistently appeared on the best seller lists, he has an extraordinary manner of invading the minds of his characters and bringing them into the light. Here I sit, having just finished this intriguing novel, in a small Northern Italian village, and yet I've been transported to London's Courts for an emotional visit.
Fiona is an erudite high court job with family problems of her own that might just impact her ability to impart impartial judgements in family law cases. One case, that of a young teen Jehovah's witness in dire need of a blood transfusion, will have a considerable impact on her life.
This is compelling stuff and certainly something I would recommend. I think in part because of the surgical way it dissects emotional upheavals and brings them to light. The dryness and unexpected upheaval that the death of a sexual relationship can bring about, along with the neediness engendered when parental constraints are turned over is intricately explored. There are many layers, all of them fascinating.

5 out of 5 watchtowers weren't sung about by Jimi Hendrix.

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