A review by suprconman99
The Cement Garden by Ian McEwan

dark reflective sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

My second Ian McEwan read. While it feels a bit slight next to something like Atonement, his perfect prose and uncanny ability to inject tension and suspense into even the most domestic scenes propels the narrative forward. The infamous subject matter — incest — is rendered at turns with an almost clinical dispassion and with an earnest longing that makes these characters sympathetic even as they engage in something considered monstrous by most cultures. All couched in a convincing exploration of grief and its deranging effects, especially on still-maturing children, who see an opportunity to play-act at adulthood but who lack the mental and emotional tools or the life experience to do so.
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