Lessons by Ian McEwan

 Lessons by Ian McEwan



Lessons by Ian McEwan was published on 22nd June 2023 by Vintage. 
My thanks to the author and the publisher for sending me a copy to review and to Random Book Tours for inviting me to take part on the tour.




Synopsis

While the world is still counting the cost of the Second World War and the Iron Curtain has descended, young Roland Baines's life is turned upside down. Stranded at boarding school, his vulnerability attracts his piano teacher, Miriam Cornell, leaving scars as well as a memory of love that will never fade. Twenty-five years later Roland's wife mysteriously vanishes, and he is left alone with their baby son. Her disappearance sparks a journey of discovery that will continue for decades, as Roland confronts the reality of his rootless existence and attempts to embrace the uncertainty - and freedom - of his future.




My review

This is a very well written book covering the life of a man from boyhood to the twilight years, largely based around the two main loves of his life and how he was treated by both of them. 

Emotionally this does not make for an easy read as a large part of the early years is centred around the sexual abuse he encountered at boarding school.

The book is cleverly written as it starts with a dual timeline between his childhood and fatherhood and then progresses through his life, taking in everything that happened historically around him. This really helps set the book in the context of our times whilst also realising how a lot of issues haven't changed over the last seventy years.

Though this is largely based on the timeline of the author's life he incorporates what was happening through these years into the book to give a strong background to what life was like . 

I can totally understand why this book has achieved the recognition and acclaim it has as it is a very thought provoking read that will raise a lot of questions and thoughts with you as you follow Roland on his travels through life.







About the Author




Ian McEwan is the critically acclaimed author of seventeen novels and two short story collections. His first published work, a collection of short stories, First Love, Last Rites, won the Somerset Maugham Award. His novels include The Child in Time, which won the 1987 Whitbread Novel of the Year Award; The Cement Garden; Enduring Love; Amsterdam, which won the 1998 Booker Prize; Atonement; Saturday; On Chesil Beach; Solar; Sweet Tooth; The Children Act; Nutshell; and Machines Like Me, which was a number-one bestseller. Atonement, Enduring Love, The Children Act and On Chesil Beach have all been adapted for the big screen.




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