The Children Act by Ian McEwan

The Book: The Children Act

The Author: Ian McEwan

The Publisher: Doubleday, 2014

The Acquiring: Goodreads Giveaway -- Bound Galley (Not sure what that means) in September sometimes.

My Thoughts:   At first, I was really excited to start reading this book. I have never read Ian McEwan before and I won it as a Goodreads Giveaway as a pre-sale copy. I started reading moments after I opened the package but after about 25 pages.. I could have easily just put it down... and then I wasn't too eager to pick it up again... hence why I'm so late reviewing it.

Not that I didn't like it... but I just didn't care.. It's like when you watch a TV show because there is really nothing else on. I just read it to read it. I feel like if this wasn't Ian McEwan without his reputation... it would be just another book on the self.

I didn't really care for Fiona.. honestly, every time they said her name I instantly thought of Princess Fiona in Shrek. I felt she was the very one dimensional and the stereotypical "I spent my life on a career and now it's too late to have children..boohoo.. and now because I work so much and the things I've seen in my work, I do not want to put out for my husband and now he wants to have an affair"... type of woman. I mean, lady.. if you want to save your marriage so bad.. and you think it horrible that he wants to have an affair because you're not giving him any loving... for F*#K sakes..just fake it.. like everybody else. NOT A BIG DEAL! C'est la vie. Pretty much cuts out that part of the story for me...

There were times when I did feel somewhat interested or wanted to know what happened next.. but it was mostly dry. I feel she was a horrible flat character. I actually hoped her husband would leave her.

The kid doesn't really play a huge part in the book. It's mostly just her rambling on... elitist ramblings at that... about who she knows, how important she is and how she can play classical music.

Then the book just kind of ended.

His ability to write is what saves this bland story. . but really, it could have been a short story.

Even though it was kind of an easy read and I do love legal law type of settings, this book, it's no A Time to Kill.

The Lowdown: Fiona is a judge and has a midlife crisis then doesn't really get over it before the novel ends. 

The Goodreads Rating: I should be nice and give it a 3. I was disappointed with this book. Maybe it's because I'm not in the target audience.. I still want to read Atonement