"Two old friends, composer Clive Linley and newspaper editor Vernon Halliday, meet at the funeral of charismatic Molly Lane, a former lover of both men (along with many other successful men of the time). This sharp 90s satire the Conservatives have been in power for 17 years has the misfortune of being McEwan's only novel to win the Booker prize in his 50-year career, despite being widely considered one of his slightest."
"But it fizzes along like the champagne that is part of the euthanasia pact hatched by the two men in a plot that even the author conceded was rather improbable. New York Times critic Michiko Kakutani was right when she concluded that it was testament to the author's skill that he had managed to toss off a minor entertainment with such authority and aplomb to win the gong he had so long deserved."
"9 First Love, Last Rites (1975) A pickled penis, cat-roasting, incest, cross-dressing and child abuse are just some of the unsettling fare served up in McEwan's first short story collection, published when he was just 27. The literary world was shocked and enthralled. Even the positive reviews were scandalised, McEwan wrote later. What monster had come among us? The monster was here to stay."
Two old friends, composer Clive Linley and newspaper editor Vernon Halliday, reunite at the funeral of charismatic Molly Lane, a former lover of both men and many others. A sharp 1990s satire set during 17 years of Conservative rule follows their fizzing euthanasia pact and an improbable plot. Earlier short fiction contains profoundly unsettling material—sexual transgression, violence, incest, and child abuse—delivered with shock and enthrallment. A first novel centers on four children hiding a mother's death and taboo sibling relationships, leaving a lasting dark imprint on readers' psyches.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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