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Dickens meets Nabokov. Lessons is a masterpiece. We follow the main character Roland as a boy of 11 into adulthood and old age. His story is embedded in major historical events. Trigger warning: grooming and sexual abuse. Those scenes are disturbing. I did get distracted a bit towards the end but overall loved it. The writing is fantastic, McEwan knows how to bring characters alive and tell engaging stories.

I wanted to love it, but it was often a slog. Roland Baines is alone at boarding school in the 1950‘s. He is a gifted pianist, but his relationship with his music teacher will haunt and hurt him throughout his life. Until the piano lesson reveal, I had no sympathy for the self-indulgent MC. After, I kept hoping that Roland would find something that would jolt him out of his lethargy. Only 3⭐️for verbose, but lovely prose. My first McEwan. My last?

#Backlistreadathon

I'm really not sure how I've missed this! Playing catch-up. Please add me to the taglist @Clwojick @TheAromaofBooks

I've chosen an old favourite Ian McEwan, I need to catch up on the last few years 🫣

This is fabulous! The lessons we learn from those that care for us (or don't care) and those we learn from the world around us, shape us and we, often unintentionally, pass those onto the next generation...and so the cycle continues....unless it is intentionally broken. This is heart breaking, 'triggering' and darkly amusing. This took me some time to get through as it was one that required all my concentration; I probably need to read it again!

A sprawling life story abt Roland Baines from childhood in the 40s to the aftermath of covid. Rolands life + adult relationships are affected by his female piano teachers sexual abuse of him as a 14 yr old. The story follows Roland over his 80 years +major events of the late 20th century. It was a well crafted piece of writing that I enjyd despite characters who I didn't particularly like. Some brilliant scenes. I put it down wanting to rd more 5*

8. Lessons, by Ian McEwan -- McEwan's best book in years. There's no Atonement-style twist at the end; this novel is just the reflection of a older man on the decades of his life and how they led to him to where he ended up. Long, yes, but thought-provoking and filled with elegant prose.

1-8 Nov 22 (audiobook)
Thought-provoking, poignant and a little disarming. I am a McEwan fan - pretty sure I even enjoyed Nutshell - so it is probably a given that I rate this highly. The chapter featuring the visit to the piano teacher during the Cuban missile crisis was published a few months ago in The New Yorker, so it was interesting to read what preceded that incident and the lengthy aftermath.

The temptation of the old, born into the middle of things, was to see in their deaths the end of everything, the end of times. That way their deaths made more sense.

#SundaySentence

#bookhaul And a cat. There‘s always a cat. I have been debating Lessons for awhile now. But you can see which side won. And I can‘t wait to get into the non fiction witchy book.

Ian McEwan has had a long dry spell (although I kinda liked Nutshell) but so far Lessons feels like a return to form.

McEwan is back and he is finally in vintage form. Lessons is an immersive, compelling personal narrative that follows the arc of one man‘s life against the backdrop of 20th century history. a story about how women and choices have shaped the central character‘s life. McEwan asks a lot about how we decide, and how much we get t decide about who we become. It‘s not innovative, or tricksy, but it‘s excellent writing, and excellent storytelling.

I almost never quit a book but I was tempted with this one. I decided to give it 100 pages and just as I got to it, I was hooked. The novel spans 70 years and includes historical events, mostly political. It also has many literary references. I enjoyed the character development and the humanness of the flawed characters. Heavy subject matter of sexual exploitation so definitely not light reading.

So far beautiful prose but this is slow moving and dense. This book follows a man named Roland over his whole life (and major events of the 20th century). I am interested to see what happens with Roland and his female piano teacher(who is very much grooming him).

A Bildungsroman set partially at an Eton-like boarding school and partially after the main character‘s wife leaves him with their seven month old son. Per McEwan‘s style, close perspective and beautiful prose, with big themes that shake you.

Once again Ian McEwan doesn't disappoint in regards to literary writing. In Lessons, that same beautiful prose appears focusing on protagonist Roland who develops and discovers life lessons throughout the decades as the world changes around him. Dense and slow in pacing, McEwan fans will savor his beautiful prose but the glacial tone can leave you frustrated and bored at times

I loved Atonement so was excited to read this one! It focuses on the life of Roland from childhood to adulthood as he navigates women, marriage, parenting, and history. It‘s not a quick read but I was patient so don‘t expect to read quickly as you may need to ruminate!
#NetGalley out 9/13/22