I often wonder whether McEwan is the greatest
writer of his generation. Books like Atonement
and Child in Time make me think
he could be (although I generally end up concluding that he isn’t), but others
like Amsterdam make me wonder whether
he might have enjoyed more success than he deserved.
The book is, like all others by McEwan, about
rich people, charming rich people (at least, they are not always awesome
charming rich people). In this book, the author seems to have a preference for
one of his two main characters: the musician, whose brilliant symphony is (or
might be?) destroyed by his former old-time friend (who, on the other hand, is
criticized for the absolute lack of morality of some of his actions). The final
showdown between the two is farcical and makes me question the literary value
of the novel.
Sure, this is a quick read and written
beautifully like all of McEwan’s books – but the annoying protagonists make the
awful Tory minister appear likeable and defendable. And I don’t like that.
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