The DU Lounge
Related: Culture Forums, Support ForumsI just finished "Nutshell" Ian McEwen's latest book. Wow!
You remember him; he wrote "Atonement," a fabulous book made into a great movie.
"Nutshell" is a shorter book. It is told by a fetus who is overhearing a plot by his mother and her lover to kill her soon to be ex husband and then get his money and inheritance of property. Her lover is also her husband's brother!
McEwen writes beautifully. If you want a fast, really gripping read this book may be for you. I don't read a lot of fiction (I primarily read nonfiction, most often on art history). But it got good reviews and it sounded intriguing.
This book doesn't have the twist of plot that was so surprising in "Atonement" but it gives you little, pleasurable zaps on the way.
femmocrat
(28,394 posts)Both the book and the movie. Thanks for the recommendation!
Laffy Kat
(16,377 posts)CTyankee
(63,912 posts)The Velveteen Ocelot
(115,683 posts)I've always liked McEwen's writing.
hermetic
(8,308 posts)I loved all of McEwan's books so I am thrilled to hear about this. He always uses amazing plot devices like no one else.
Hope it comes to my library soon.
CTyankee
(63,912 posts)We have a consortium of libraries in the area and can get an inter-library loan...
I've yet to read one I didn't like but Sweet Tooth comes to mind. You do have to slog through a lot of detailed descriptions of British Intelligence, but the end is just mind-blowing. Here is where we were discussing this last year.
http://www.democraticunderground.com/11937034
On Chesil Beach is another.
http://www.fictiondb.com/author/ian-mcewan~on-chesil-beach~179304~b.htm
That website, fictiondb.com is a great place to find out about books you are contemplating reading. Just type in Ian McEwan in the search box and then you can find out what each one is about. He certainly isn't someone you can pin down to any particular theme.
Enjoy!
bikebloke
(5,260 posts)I just have to wait.
CTyankee
(63,912 posts)history book about painters who were rivals in their time for fame and glory. It is by Sebastian Smee, the great art critic of the Boston Globe. The other is an interesting sounding novel by Ann Patchett.