#4 Nutshell by Ian McEwan

#4 Nutshell by Ian McEwan

Let me ask you a question, dear reader.  Have you ever let out a squeal of delight as you un-wrapped a book-like present and discovered that it was a novel you’ve been dying to read? I made sure this book was on my Christmas wish list and my lovely daughter did me the honor of purchasing it and slipping it into my stocking.  I think I actually whooped and fist-pumped the air I was that excited!

When I was reading early reviews of this book what captured my attention was the voice used to tell the story. Told from the perspective of an unborn child, Mr. McEwan weaves a tale of a marriage gone wrong; an adulteress wife, a husband still pining for his unworthy spouse, a deceitful brother and a web of lies which lead to murder.  Our story teller hears everything.  He knows the lovers sordid secrets, the whispered plans and deadly sins and is torn between love for the mother he hasn’t yet met and the loathing he has for her as the murderous act becomes known and he begins to know her for what she is. 

Aside from the wickedly delicious plot that makes it difficult to put down, the book is filled with insightful and often hilarious musings on the gift (or curse) of consciousness; it describes how knowledge gleaned from listening to the BBC or podcasts in utero elevate both mother and baby come morning which made me ponder my own pregnancies (which occurred 19 and 21 years ago respectively) and contemplate them from the baby’s perspective. While we’ve often heard babies and children being referred to as ‘a blank slate’, the author expands on this to say that as they grow each day, they become less blank.

Throughout the novel our little narrator describes a multitude of subject matter learned on the inside. One of my favorites was found early in the book on pages 4-7 in which the baby describes learning all about wine from an audio book then goes on to announce that he likes to share a glass with his mother, a good burgundy or Sancerre decanted through the placenta.  Obviously this shouldn’t be a habit during pregnancy but this section, and many others made me laugh out loud. 

This is an highly entertaining novel, filled with dastardly deeds and deceit that at times, reminded me of Shakespeare’s Hamlet, read way, way back in high school English class. If I were you, dear reader, I would put this on your wish list and post it somewhere someone will see it.  Hint hint!  Until next time…have you read a book today?

Julie