Saturday
Ian McEwan
2005
289 pages
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A long time ago (that’s softdrink-speak for I know I read it but damned if I can remember when) I read Atonement. And I didn’t like it (not that I could tell you why).
So it’s a giant mystery as to why (as well as when and how) I even bought this book. But it’s been sitting on the shelf for a really long time (again, softdrink-speak for damned if I can remember when), so in a desperate attempt to make a final decision as to whether or not I like Ian McEwan, at the beginning of the year I added Saturday to the Shelf of Doom.
And I ended up reading most of Saturday on a Saturday. Mostly because it’s not that long and I just wanted to be done with it.
I can see why people like him. Yet I can honestly say I don’t. For a fairly short book, there are times when McEwan needed to just move on. Honestly, I don’t want to know that much about neurosurgery (if I did I’d be reading a non-fiction book), or a squash game, or even that our main character likes to pee sitting down.
Saturday is a day in the life of book. A day in the life of Henry Perowne, devoted husband and father, neurosurgeon, squash player, and the aforementioned guy who likes to pee sitting down. On this particular Saturday, Henry runs a few errands, gets in a car crash, visits his mum, watches his son play some blues guitar, fixes dinner for his family, and is briefly (SPOILER AHEAD) held hostage in his own home.
Henry’s had a busy day, and McEwan threw in a bunch of heavy shit. There’s the impact of 9/11 and terrorism on how a person views the world and events that would previously have been innocuous. There’s the whole getting older and watching your children grow up thing. There’s professional jealousy (not Henry) and the idea of revenge and even some politics thrown into the mix.
And there were even times when I thought it was beautifully written. But it still left me cold. There was just nothing about Henry that I found interesting.
Am I alone here? What do you think of McEwan’s style?
I’ve only read Atonement and I liked it okay until the end.
I’ve actually blocked Atonement from my memory, but I do recall some unhappiness over the ending.
That’s exactly how I feel about McEwan’s books (with the exception of Atonement, which I actually loved). I’ve read On Chesil Beach and Amsterdam and like you said, the writing was beautiful, but I just didn’t care at all about any of the characters. I have Cement Garden on my shelf to give him one more shot. I don’t even know why. Two duds should be enough of a chance.
You’re a generous soul. I only gave him two chances.
You are not alone. I read Atonement a few years ago and found it to be the most heavy, boring, pointless book ever. Well maybe not ever but you get the point. I have yet to try another book by him, and I doubt I will.
Yes! I’m actually quite relieved to find a bunch of readers as equally apathetic over McEwan. I thought everyone was going to be all “oh no, he’s fabulous, you must read more!”
I really love McEwan’s writing – he can write one hell of a beautiful sentence. For me, I love how he’s able to fully flesh out characters – the good bits and the bad or boring bits. Each of his novels, but probably especially Saturday, lets you actually walk a mile in someone else’s shoes. I can see how that could bore some readers or not be enthralling, but I love the opportunity McEwan gives me to be someone else for a day.
There were a few times (but only a few) where I appreciated what he was doing with Perowne. I did like the parts in the beginning when he was thinking about the books his daughter had sent to him to read, and his thoughts on reading in general.
I started Atonement but didn’t bother finishing it. Then, I took the four McEwan books I had on the shelves and donated all of them to the library, unread. I had a very strong dislike reaction to the first three chapters of Atonement. I found the plot unbelievable and the writing a wee bit tedious.
I need to be more like you and follow my instincts after just one bad read.
I read and loved Atonement, but then I tried Amsterdam, and was disgusted by it. It was just so melodramatic, and the characters were horrible to one another. I actually have a copy of this book, and his newest one on my shelf to read at some point or another, and I am curious to see how they fare with me. I do really appreciate your honesty about why this one didn’t work for you, Jill, and I am wondering if I will feel the same.
I think there’s more goodness in this book (although not everyone is good), it just got boring after awhile.
I have mixed experiences with McEwan. Love much of his earlier work, loved Atonement, loved Enduring Love, but Saturday is one that left me cold.
Cold is an excellent way to put it.
I love McEwan’s writing, but have had mixed reactions to his books. On Chesil Beach is my favorite, I liked Atonement (should really reread that one), and thought The Comfort of Strangers was really well done, but not a book you can really ‘like’. Three more of his novels, including Saturday, are waiting on my shelf… so we’ll see.
I think that’s my problem. I don’t like authors whose books are hard to “like.” Which is totally vague, but makes sense to me. I don’t want to have to appreciate a book, I guess.
I think it’s kind of fascinating that you have this Shelf of Doom of books you own but don’t really have any desire to read, and you force yourself to read them as though they are vitamins. You are made of much stronger moral fiber than I am! I just tend to ignore those books and hope they go away, or perhaps debate culling them from my shelf at some point…
I have Atonement, for example, and now will be avoiding it.
“as though they are vitamins.” LOL!!
Hah! And I can’t even manage to remember to take vitamins! I know I shouldn’t torture myself like this, and I don’t always, but there are just some books that I feel I owe the chance. For what, I’m not sure…redemption?
I really liked On Chesil Beach…well actually let’s say I appreciated it. It was not a happy book. It was heartbreaking. And then I read this book, which I didn’t really GET. It just kind of meandered along, then there is that whole scene at dinner which was bizarre. I know there were some subtleties that I might have seen clearer had I read it again, but I just didn’t have the heart for it.
That’s exactly how I felt about 100 Years of Solitude…I didn’t GET it and I didn’t want to think that hard to have to get it.
OH! Any chance this poor book could slide itself off the Shelf of Doom and into a media-mail envelope with my address on the label? I will buy it off of you only if you write something pithy in the inside cover. (and not write ‘Something pithy’!!)
I adored Atonement and was heartbroken (as Sandy was) by Chesil Beach and I so want to read this because it is one day long. I’m collecting one-day-long books. or the reading of them. I would be glad to send you Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day if you want it?
I WILL PAY YOU TO TAKE IT OFF MY HANDS!
Seriously…it’s all yours. I prolly won’t make it to the post office til next week, though.
THANKS! and no hurry. It is on my list to read this year – or something by IMcEw. You ROCK!
♥ Javelinas!
I have read a couple of McEwan books and my reactions are pretty similar to yours. Lovely writing but I kind of miss out on the love him reaction that lots of people have.
Apparently, there are quite a few of us with this reaction.
I got all hepped up on Atonement (but now it has dimmed in my mind) and got a bunch of McEwan books and then realized I didn’t actually like him all that much. I really disliked Black Dogs, but I though On Chesil Beach was OK. I read one or two others before deciding I wasn’t really a big fan.
Dang, you kept at it for a lot longer than I did!
Whyyy-y-y was it so hard for McEwan to MOVE ON? I read Atonement and felt that way all the way through it — even though the story was really good, and I wanted to love the book! — and I tried Saturday but just couldn’t plow through. I have decided McEwan is emphatically not for me.
I swear, it was the longest day in the life book EVER.
This doesn’t sound promising. I tried and tried to read this while I was on maternity leave but couldn’t get past the first 20 pages or so. Think I read History of Love instead–know you’re not a big fan of Krauss. Hmmmmmm–though I did love Atonement (most of it).
I hate to say it, but I’d choose McEwan over Krauss.
OOoooo. This comment only makes me want to read Great House even more!
I’ve never read McEwan, because I suspected he would try my patience. And that mention of the hero peeing while sitting down has only confirmed my suspicions.
I give up on McEwan. He is just not for me at all!
I’ll write my comment and *then* go back and see what others said. I hate McEwan. I will never, ever read or listen to another book he wrote. I didn’t even like that movie (I have even forgotten the name of it) that came out a couple of years ago. Ugh.
Ah Atonement. I see from the comments — that’s the movie. Amsterdam is the one I read. I had forgotten the name of that too.
Ian McEwan is an author I am still kind of on the fence about, but I’m definitely leaning towards pitching my tent on the “don’t care for him” campground. I read Atonement and found the first part of the novel excrutiating, but then wound up liking the rest of it and with time I thought that maybe it was a better book than I had given it credit for initially. But then I read Amsterdam and it was a soggy sloggy mess that made me hate every minute I spent with it and nothing about it was anything I liked. I guess he can write well at times, but when the bulk of his writing bores me to death, it’s hard to appreciate those moments of greatness, you know?
I see this one get a lot more negative reviews than most of his books. I liked On Chesil Beach and Atonement but I ended up ditching this one around the car crash. Meh.
Oh dear…this is on my TBR along with Amsterdam. Sigh.
I guess the cover is sort of old-timey to me — or, at least, it is in my mind? — so I never once equated this with having anything to do with contemporary times . . . and definitely not 9/11. Wild!
I have a pretty big love/hate thing with Ian McEwan. I loved On Chesil Beach, which I thought was lovely and heartbreaking and real, but absolutely despised Solar, which I quickly abandoned after picking it up and putting it down off and on for almost a month. I loved “Atonement” the film (perhaps because of James McAvoy? Oh, mi amor), but read 30 pages of the book before wanting to chuck it across the room.
That’s one win and two losses. But the win was a big, big win, so I’m not ready to give up on him yet.
I like the set-up of a McEwan book. He includes a lot of details, but in my head, on a regular day… I do that too. It works for me.
I’ve only read Atonement so far, but I must say I loved it. In all fairness, I can see why the ending of it would anger some people…
I picked up one of his books a few years ago and read a few chapters. Then I returned it to the library and have never felt compelled to try again.
OK, I’ve decided you all dislike Ian McEwan because you haven’t read Enduring Love!