Fiction – paperback; Vintage; pages; 2001.
Following a fatal hot-air ballooning accident in the Chiltern Hills, a witness to the incident, Joe, suddenly finds himself embroiled in a deeper mystery; why was the victim in the area in the first place and why is another male witness, Jed, now stalking him?
In this well-crafted suspense novel, Ian McEwan explores the notions of science versus religion; the meaning of love and stability in the midst of disruptive circumstances; and the damage which can ensue when a disturbed personality suddenly develops a ‘thing’ for you.
Towards the end, it goes a bit over-the-top, but generally McEwan deftly balances the story so that you are never quite sure whether the stalker is real or merely a figment of Joe’s imagination.
Ouch! That hurts! ๐ I was really amazed by Enduring love, in fact: it was how I ‘discovered’ Ian McEwan. But I have to say: I didn’t know about the hot-air balloon when I started reading. And that made the beginning of this book THE BEST BEGINNING EVER. For me ๐ Maybe you should try that sometime.
Anyway, personally I try to keep the fact that the story begins with a ballon accident hidden from potential readers ๐
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