The Comfort of Strangers in Around the World in 80 Books

Oct 11, 2014 Bogdan rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: brits

As I realized from the past three McEwan's novels I've read, he is able to write good pieces of prose. And it makes no exception also this time. I enjoyed his style and the way he carefully leads the reader into this thriller, with the climax built gradually.

The premise or more likely the theme, I guess it is sexual abuse. The author does not explain too much on the motives for the characters actions and mostly I have to guess around and fill the gaps with suppositions. I am not sure this was th As I realized from the past three McEwan's novels I've read, he is able to write good pieces of prose. And it makes no exception also this time. I enjoyed his style and the way he carefully leads the reader into this thriller, with the climax built gradually.

The premise or more likely the theme, I guess it is sexual abuse. The author does not explain too much on the motives for the characters actions and mostly I have to guess around and fill the gaps with suppositions. I am not sure this was the author's intention, thus my rating is 2 for premise.

Regarding the form, I already mentioned I enjoyed the writing style of Ian McEwan. This time, the novel is a fairly more condensed, the thriller is better constructed and the tension can be even felt more pregnant as in his other novels I have read. As I liked also the lack of melancholy or lyricism, I will rate it with a 5 for form.

In terms of originality, I hardly can think of another novel with a similar topic. But thrillers are a lot and sexual related thrillers also exists. So I will give it a 3 for the level of originality.

The characters are the most intriguing part of the novel. Very few, apart from the two couples that make up the leading characters, the other are insignificant, like a waiter or other persons at the beach. This lack of characters made me have the same feeling as in a holiday, where I am a stranger in a city. Plus it is revealed so little of the background of this 4 main characters, thus they are no more than casual acquaintances. Due to all these I'll rate it with 5.

Regarding the complexity and difficulty, the novel is fairly short and simple. The narration follows a main line with little distractions along the way. I reckon it must have been a difficult task to write it. Thus, I will rate it then with a 3 for complexity and difficulty.

In terms of credibility, looking at what others have said about it, I think this is the main argument why many have not liked it. For me, I have to refrain from judging character's actions as I know very little about them and their beliefs. But I know that the feeling of loneliness and frustration we sometimes have in our vacations is marvelously captured. Due to this, my rating for credibility is 4.

The last criteria is edition. This pocket paperback edition was fairly nice from a graphical point of view. Also the translation and proof reading were good. I will rate it with a 4.

To summarize, I was not disappointed by this novel and I will be reading more Ian McEwan. All in all, my final rating for it is 3.71, which I will round it to 4 on Goodreads system.


+--------------------------+-----------------+
| Criteria | Rating |
+--------------------------+-----------------+
|Premise | 2 |
+--------------------------+-----------------+
|Form | 5 |
+--------------------------+-----------------+
|Originality | 3 |
+--------------------------+-----------------+
|Characters | 5 |
+--------------------------+-----------------+
|Difficulty/Complexity | 3 |
+--------------------------+-----------------+
|Credibility | 4 |
+--------------------------+-----------------+
|Edition | 4 |
+--------------------------+-----------------+
|Total | 3.71 |
+--------------------------+-----------------+

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Jun 16, 2012 Kent Winward rated it liked it

The descriptions of the relationship dysfunction in this novella is second to none. I enjoyed the read, but the ending left me feeling a little cheated. The lead up was so accurate a depiction of couple-hood for both of the couples in this book, but the resolution verged off into the unbelievable.

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