Ian McEwan, Saturday Review

Overall Rating

Very literary, excellent descriptive passages.

Very wordy, hard to get into but worth the struggle.

The dry writing style makes it initially hard to empathise with the characters and their plight. Once used to the style and slow pace the story turns out to be gripping and meaningful. The use of words is excellent. Ian McEwan is an accomplished writer, and Saturday can be enjoyed for its literary accomplishment alone. The plot unfolds with chilling certainty and dread. The characters are gradually exposed, and the emotional distance within the family is well illustrated. There is a richness within its sparsity that manages to provide plenty of food for thought.