FREE ESSAY ON REVIEW OF A CHILD IN TIME BY IAN MCEWAN

REVIEW OF A CHILD IN TIME BY IAN MCEWAN

Although most remembered for his earlier work, The Cement Garden, McEwan's more recent
work of fiction, A Child In Time, offers a very different perspective into the theme of
childhood - this time an adult's understanding of a juvenile world. The novel has been
highly critically acclaimed since its first publication, and despite its disjointed prose
style and at times ambiguous thread of McEwan's plot, it consistently proves a popular
literary work nearly five years later.
The book offers insight into one man's progress through the stages of grief, as he mourns
the loss of his only child, an eight-year old named Kate. As the protagonist, Stephen
seeks to understand his loss, he turns towards science and philosophy to understand the
very nature of time and understand where he and his now dysfunctional family unit have
altered so drastically with time's passing. McEwan has clearly succeeded in creating an
atmosphere of childhood as seen through an adults eyes - the simplistic beauty of his
description of Kate's relationship with her father is portrayed with extreme realism and
the family unit's degeneration is charted with absolute clarity of detail throughout.
Despite the lucidity of Mc Ewan's narrative voice, the plot sometimes delves into the
improbable. As readers we witness the slightly dubious transition of Charles Darke, (one
of the protagonist's colleagues), from respected mentor to overgrown schoolboy. Although
certainly not a dramatic twist to the plot, it does come over as being a somewhat
extravagant change and slightly superfluous to the overall plot. McEwan has also
developed his tale around a series of flashbacks and jumbled memories; which, although
rather effective in conveying the subjective viewpoint of his characters, makes for a
slightly confusing read.
Despite this lapse is structural style, the novel is certainly technically adept and
philosophically questioning, often enquiring into fundamental questions concerning the
very nature of time within a very realistic framework. McEwan seamlessly switches from
tense emotional drama to highly scientific, explorative language. This not only superbly
demonstrates the writer's skill, but effectively contrasts the homeliness of family life
against stark objectivity of time. Stephen's flashbacks of his lost child are expressed
with such an unnervingly realistic edge, the reader cannot help but sympathize deeply
with his plight. One particularly memorable stage of the novel involves Stephen
desperately searching a local school where he believes the lost child will be found. This
incident seems decidedly inspired by the classic film, Don't Look Now - a red raincoat is
glimpsed in the distance fuelling the futile hope that the lost child may at last be
found.
Although thematically similar to several of his previous works, Ian McEwan has lifted his
narrative style into something far more involving and experimental. Although the
jargon-laden language used in some place in the novel requires more sustained
concentration for the less-scientifically minded reader, the book will nevertheless prove
popular with both existing fans of McEwan and newer readers alike. McEwan has once again
proven himself to be one of the most original English writers to emerge in recent years,
and this eerie tale may well prove to be unmissable.