“The Children Act” by Ian McEwan:
As in many of Ian McEwan’s books this one, too, pivots around one single, central event and its reverberating ramifications.
One evening Fiona Maye, a prominent High Court Judge (addressed as “My Lady”), known and respected for her intelligent precision and sensitivity, has to deal with catastrophe as Jack, her husband of 25 years, loving, caring, faithful, announces that he wants one more amorous adventure in his life before he gets too old. He feels that their relationship has deteriorated to that of siblings, loving and sweet, but lacking any excitement. After the ensuing argument he leaves her for a much younger woman.
Fiona meanwhile is called onto an urgent case which demands all her energy and attention. Her case over which she presides and has to dispense judgement is that of a 17-year-old boy, close to 18 but legally still not an adult, yet. He suffers of severe leukemia and refuses, for religious reasons any blood transfusion which most likely would save his life. Adam is a beautiful boy with an artistic, sensitive, intelligent soul who seems to have a grasp of what awaits him. Fiona visits him in hospital and then decides against his and his parent’s wishes, allowing the hospital to treat him and thus saving his life. The visit not only changes Adam’s course of life, it also has an unexpected affect on Fiona, her decision has repercussions, which throw her into confusion and self-doubt. I liked the intensity of the tensions which arose between this unlikely pair, a middle-aged, distinguished female judge and a dying, sensitive boy.
The novel offers an interesting, enlightening view on how difficult dispensing judgement can be, how possibly desastrous and devastating a sentence, once spoken, can alter lives forever. McEwan shows the human dimension revealed by legal dilemma.
McEwan, in all his mastery paints a hugely enjoyable, tender portrait of Fiona's marriage, rendering in detail small gestures, rich of meaning and understanding, the way a cup of coffee, for example, is steered across a table as a peace offering.
I liked this short novel, it is full of interesting moral questions, rich with evoking the altering power of art, poetry and, most of all, music.
#robertfaeth, #painterinBerlin, #painting, #art, #bookblog, #bookreviews, #literaturelover, #poem, #poetry
