there are so few children in books that i have become enamored with; Peter, the protagonist of this book, is at the top. in fact, most of the characters have this adorable quality that redeems whatever faults they might have, from the bully to the one-armed, one-legged doll.

adorable and Ian McEwan together in one sentence would seem oxymoronic but it truly does apply. his ability to simmer suspense in the dark corners of his stories and create psychologically true characters is still present in this book; but tempered with the whimsical fancy of the central character and McEwan's ability to create an atmosphere that completely envelops you into the psyche of the story, you can't help but become involved and come to love Peter and his propensity to disappear into the fantastical adventures that he creates, blurring his reality and his daydreams. reminds me of a more menacing Michel Gondry in print. just beautiful and adorable.