Book review - The Children Act by Ian McEwan

In The Children Act McEwan lays bare several moral dilemmas, moving between their individual, even idiosyncratic nature, and their universality. The saving of a life, the strength of a belief system, passion, love and lust all feature.

He is a writer with a skill for bringing his characters to life. From the beginning the reader knows each of the players. The story weaves setting, personal stories and culture with ease, adding an essential ingredient for this particular book -the law and the normally hidden workings of the Family Courts. The ‘plot’ moves quickly, slowly, then quickly again, it never drags and rarely surprises but seems solid, well grounded in reality. 

But it is always a risk to expose professional lives -is this really the way a Family Court judge might behave?  In places it all seems a bit far fetched.  

The choice of third person narration is interesting as the perspective is always that of the main protagonist, Fiona Maye. Perhaps that says something about her approach to life -she comes across as impersonal and objective until her inner and outer worlds join in a rather critical way. 

It’s not often I read a book after I’ve seen the film, and as I reached the end of this short and very focused novel I learn why! Yes, film is a different medium, especially on the large screen ... for a start there is (usually) more than an audience of one. The book and reader are more mutable, intimate and I did not need the drama of the film ending to understand the story’s end. McEwan’s continued measured prose was sufficient. 

For a review of the film go to https://www.theguardian.com/film/2018/aug/25/the-children-act-film-review-preposterous-plot.

Back to the book, its just but only just worth 4 stars but not one of his best. 

Step by step ...

and slowly! At the moment my so called brick quilt, or maybe its the shadow quilt, is occupying some of my bedroom floor,

and the rest of the room is full of stuff usually in the linen cupboard. Hopefully the small changes to the laundry room will soon be complete -maybe some pics this week - and I'll be able to move more easily around the bedroom.

The quilt in progress might also be there for a few more days  ... I'm still undecided about the the size of the shadow that I'll add after the quilting, and even more undecided about the border. Still, its great to be working with my own dyed fabrics and a photo taken of Crumble and I out for a walk last winter .... maybe by next winter the finished quilt will be on my lap.

To close a couple of recommendations. If you're a stitcher then do take look at Michelle Carragher http://www.michelecarragherembroidery.com/Game-of-Thrones-Gallery(2829575).htm for some inspirational hand embroidery. I heard her speaking on Saturday ... such skill and dedication, and a great speaker.

If you like the movies then I and a few friends all really enjoyed Film Stars Don't Die in Liverpool with Annette Bening and Jamie Bell. Here's one of the reviews https://www.theguardian.com/film/2017/nov/19/film-stars-dont-die-in-liverpool-review-annette-bening-jamie-bell.  Lots of very good performances by the major and minor actors and, for me, a clever and powerful accompanying score and authentic set.

Have a good week. I'm going back to the last few games of the tennis final.

a girl is a half formed thing: book group agreement

Good morning readers, glad you're here. I have some time this morning so thought you like to know that my book group members had similar views about Eimear McBride's book  - generally not well liked and a challenging difficult read. The book provoked a lot of discussion - about its style, its content and the nature of winning literary prizes. Most of us admired the work of the book but not much else.

Many of us had skipped much more of this book than we usually do when reading a novel, but that aside, we agreed that it was remarkable the main character managed to avoid pregnancy - did the author choose to ignore this? The title was intriguing, we wondered why it was chosen!!  And we wondered about the authenticity of the opening chapters ... rather an unknowable aspect but it was for many of us a fictive step too far.

So these and other questions for the author should she ever be available and none of us are very keen to read another book like that!


NB  Several of my friends have, like me, seen the movie Before I go to Sleep this week - lots of stars all around for this thriller. It has been transferred from book to screen with good faith and keeps its focus very well.

Bye for now, have a good day. Its writing time for me now ... hopefully to find a poem on the theme of water from for the 52poems page somewhere within.

My week with Marilyn

I’m talking about the film, of course, its just wonderful –well cast with the supporting roles as much a part of the story as the stars, some great music and a sense that the ‘week’s’ experience changed peoples lives. A good way to spend Saturday afternoon.This autumn has been packed with good movies –I’ve yet to see The Deep Blue Sea and The Iron Lady but Marilyn gets my best film Oscar at the moment. outplaying Kevin, The Help and Midnight in Paris.