McEwan is a master of language, and he almost always achieves a suction effect ... you do not want to stop reading, is tied up and fascinated.
In this novel - beware spoilers - he tells Fiona Maye, a judge at the High Court in London, responsible for family law, their professional success, unfortunately, in his private life is no more: her marriage is at a crossroads. Complications arise when Fiona will have to decide in a case with a religious background: an underage boy who belongs to the Jehovah's Witnesses, needed a blood transfusion to survive, but his parents and he himself admit to be for religious reasons against it.
Spoiler-end.
In the first half of a little over 200 pages rather narrow book captivated me McEwan with his carefully researched topics - there is really "free" decisions regarding medical interventions? How do religious fundamentalists? Can we leave a decision in matters of faith to an outsider? etc.
As always analyzed McEwan sensitively the background of human action. Unfortunately this quality took off for me in the second half of the novel. After Fiona falls their judicial decision, take the events a course which seemed implausible to me, especially since it seems very McEwan hurry here, to come to an end. Not always comprehensible or even sometimes outrageous things happen, despite the creeping threat, which is above all.
It is always the decision of the author, as he brings his story to an end, but here I would have liked, McEwan would have allowed more time to bring together the plotlines.
Nevertheless, my respect for McEwan and my enthusiasm remain unbroken for his language.
