THE CHILDREN ACT

by Ian McEwan

I love starting a book when I know that at the very least, it will be well-written and engaging, and with Ian McEwan, that is always a safe bet. The Children Act was no exception in his superb, always inventive and psychologically investigative collection of novels.

The book takes a deep dive into the psyche and life of a middle-aged female judge in London’s highest court. Her husband is intelligent and supportive and they enjoy their social lives together, and yet one night, he tells her he wants to have an affair. He doesn’t want to end their marriage, but he will if she doesn’t accept that his sexual needs aren’t being met. The rest of the novel tracks the winding ups and downs of her emotions and reason as she deals with his announcement and subsequent actions.

Simultaneously, McEwan takes the reader into many of the complex and dramatic cases that his protagonist is ruling on as her private life is imploding. She presides over the family court, and one case in particular gets under her skin. A young man is refusing medical treatment for religious reasons and she must decide what role the court can and should play in that decision.

This book is a gripping (if depressing) read that challenged me intellectually and kept me hooked until the very end. (Lily)