Matthew Ted's review of The Child in Time (original) (raw)

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Matthew Ted's Reviews > The Child in Time

The Child in Time by Ian McEwan

The Child in Time
by

57003346

34th book of 2020.

Well, well, well. I don't like Ian McEwan's books, I only read them because my friend and I are determined to keep reading them so we can argue our hatred for him with well-founded knowledge and because I was half-hoping that at least one book of his would be good. This is my fifth McEwan and let's recap so far:

The Cement Garden - 2 stars.
The Innocent - 2 stars.
Amsterdam - 2 stars.
On Chesil Beach - 3 stars.

And here comes The Child in Time at 5 stars. What happened?

I'm quite pleased with myself that I liked this, loved this, that I am not just hating McEwan because I hate him - that I am genuinely trying and reading him with an open mind. And it finally paid off. This book was wonderful.

McEwan's writing has never worked for me. I find it like some wall on the page that I can't get through. The words just go into my mind and evaporate; they never make me feel anything at all. His scenes are stupid - especially one in Amsterdam, which still makes me angry. His characters are even worse - I don't think I've liked a single one. So usually, the writing is bad, the plots are bad, the characters are bad...

The plot here sounded entertaining, for once, on the blurb. Stephen Lewis', a children's author, daughter is kidnapped in a supermarket. This scene, which happens right near the start of the book got me hooked in. It is well written, sudden, shocking, and McEwan builds the tension with short sentences and good language (finally!). Stephen Lewis isn't a perfect character, but he isn't diabolical, I felt for him at least, I actually felt something (finally!). There are some fantastic characters in this (finally!), especially that of Charles. Some of the scenes were great too, a little surreal, but well-written and well executed (finally!). The ending was moving too (finally!).

Sort of spoilers here, not anything particularly ruining the story except maybe the second, but I'll hide all just in case, but these are the scenes that stood out for me:

(view spoiler)[A car crash, where time slows down. McEwan plays a lot with time in this novel, hence the title, and this scene explores it well. (hide spoiler)]
(view spoiler)[Charles, a politician, 'becomes' a child again. He talks like one, plays in the woods, scabs his knees, sleeps in a separate room to his wife, goes to bed at 9pm... this regression also delves into the theme of time and childhood - pivotal for the plot - and strange, so strange! But interesting. (hide spoiler)]
(view spoiler)[A rather surreal but humorous and fascinating scene occurs when a load of men barge unexplained into Stephen's house and set up offices. He realises it is because he told the Prime Minister he didn't want to go and meet him, but he knew where he lived. So, he came, with his whole office, to Stephen's. At the end they all disappear out the front door and everything is left as it is, even a Polaroid on his kitchen table of what it looked like before they arrived as evidence that they returned everything to order. (hide spoiler)]

This is a novel about, in essence, time and childhood. McEwan addresses both wonderfully, captured through scenes that were original and captivating and dialogue between characters who were, too, compelling.

If I were to recommend any McEwan book it would be none of the others I listed above and only this one. An admirable novel from a writer I dislike. I will say one last time: finally!

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Reading Progress

March 1, 2020 –Started Reading

March 4, 2020 –Finished Reading

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