A review by ashley_elizabeth
The Cement Garden by Ian McEwan

challenging dark tense slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

1.5

Wow. This was.... something. I knew the subject matter would make for a challenging story, but this was far beyond what I expected. The main character, Jack, is not necessarily flat but I certainly found it hard to feel any empathy or compassion for what he & his siblings are going through. I honestly didn't feel much for any of the characters, which as a mental health professional feels like quite a strange place to be. The story gave me flavors of We Have Always Lived in the Castle with its isolationism and insulation, and The Wasp Factory in its coldness and apathetic narrators.
The only reason I feel compelled to give this book more than 0 or 1 star is because that despite it's icky-ness, there were certainly times I felt quite compelled by the overall storyline and what was going on in this family. Also, I loved McEwan's Atonement, so perhaps I'm being a bit generous.
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