Amsterdam

A hugely conflict-driven story that begins at a funeral and ends... well, I don't want to give the ending away, but brace yourself for a completely unexpected ending. More like a novella than a novel at a mere 192 pages, this piece of work is one that packs a lot in very little space. The characters are very well fleshed out, contrasted against each other, and easy to conjure in...more

A hugely conflict-driven story that begins at a funeral and ends... well, I don't want to give the ending away, but brace yourself for a completely unexpected ending. More like a novella than a novel at a mere 192 pages, this piece of work is one that packs a lot in very little space. The characters are very well fleshed out, contrasted against each other, and easy to conjure in one's imagination, right down to their voices; the conflict builds up at just the right pace never letting the characters or the reader get too comfortable with the current state of things, which makes it a sort of small-scale thriller, though the ending is a little off, but I suppose there is some foreshadowing that lends such an ending some credit. Ultimately, this is a thinking kind of book, one which is perfect for reading circles and dinner conversations, where you really get to pick a side and argue it until you just shake hands and agree to disagree, knowing a little bit more about your opponent than you did before you entered the world Ian McEwan created. Definitely worth a read.   hide

Absolutely loved it! made me go out an buy the rest of his books - all at once!

I usually love IM's books but I was so disappointed with this one - an ending that didn't match up with the rest of the story.

Not one of McEwans best books.