Black Dogs - Ian McEwan

Ian McEwan's 'Black Dogs' is a beautifully crafted work, both powerful and unforgettable. The novel is built around a brilliant short story, an encounter with two terrifying dogs by an English couple honeymooning just after the war in a French village. The couple are the narrator's parents-in-law, who embody the conflict between rationalism and spirituality. The narrator's empathy with both poles is well conveyed, and McEwan manages to tackle incredibly profound questions without once seeming pretencious. 'Black Dogs' is exquisitely written, without a single boring thought or weak sentence. The black dogs ...  Read the complete review