The Child in Time - Ian McEwan

The main character of 'A child in time', a father, deals with the emotional consequences of the abduction of his daughter when she was under his supervision. A close affectionate family breaks down right from the beginning of the novel, and the girls dad discovers the importance of childhood and children as he starts to rebuild his life. I do not have children, but was so struck by the enormous feelings of loss that the girls' parents endured. McEwan takes the reader on a bumpy emotional rollercoaster ride with the main character's life being overrun with references to children, even as his close friend, the publisher of his books for children, ...  Read the complete review

Stephen’s life is falling apart around him: having lost his little girl while out shopping, he has since become grown apart from his wife, Julie, who moves to the Chilterns to grieve in her own way. Without the stability of marriage or family, Stephen is left drifting – as with The Cement Garden and Enduring Love, at the heart of this book is an ‘innocent’ man trying to come to terms with a world he does not fully understand. Given that the bulk of the book is given over to the 'inert time' of Stephen's reaction to grief, McEwan manages to sustain the reader's interest to a remarkable degree. In large part this is due to ...  Read the complete review

Having studied this book for A-level i know it backwards! It is a simply amazing book, showing the importance of childhood, as reflect in the regressive political character. it shows the need for stability and organisation, plus also includes some mild, indirect theories on concepts of time. This may be of interest to parents, children and really anyone who enjoys an intelligent read. The author has to be one of the best of the times with his book amsterdam winning the booker prize. It is written to immaculate standards and McEwan's books muct be read! The only minorly bad point i could think anyone could consider bad is the ending being left open to ...  Read the complete review

The book The Child in Time is the story of a couple whose daughter is abducted in broad daylight in a crowded supermarket. The two of them react differently to the disappearance as time goes on with no ransom note, and the inevitable breakup occurs. The book breaks in here and follows the husband, Stephen, as he tries to put his life back together while simultaneously watching his best friend come apart. The book is highly emotional, totally gripping and incredibly human ...  Read the complete review