Nutshell: A Novel
NATIONAL BESTSELLER - A "suspenseful, dazzlingly clever and gravely profound" (The Washington Post) novel that brilliantly recasts Shakespeare and lends new weight to the age-old question of Hamlet's hesitation, from the Booker Prize winner and bestselling author of Atonement.
Trudy has been unfaithful to her husband, John. What's more, she has kicked him out of their marital home, a valuable old London town house, and in his place is his own brother, the profoundly banal Claude. The illicit couple have hatched a scheme to rid themselves of her inconvenient husband forever. But there is a witness to their plot: the inquisitive, nine-month-old resident of Trudy's womb. As Trudy's unborn son listens, bound within her body, to his mother and his uncle's murderous plans, he gives us a truly new perspective on our world, seen from the confines of his. Don't miss Ian McEwan's new novel, Lessons.
Trudy has been unfaithful to her husband, John. What's more, she has kicked him out of their marital home, a valuable old London town house, and in his place is his own brother, the profoundly banal Claude. The illicit couple have hatched a scheme to rid themselves of her inconvenient husband forever. But there is a witness to their plot: the inquisitive, nine-month-old resident of Trudy's womb. As Trudy's unborn son listens, bound within her body, to his mother and his uncle's murderous plans, he gives us a truly new perspective on our world, seen from the confines of his. Don't miss Ian McEwan's new novel, Lessons.
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Community Reviews
This was a delightfully witty story of murder, told from the perspective of an unborn child. The narrator is, unborn, yet far surpasses the intelligence and wisdom of those he witnesses through sound. Although a bit macabre in topic, this was charming to read.
Even though the premise is somewhat silly in its device, this dark and humorous tale captivated me completely. I loved McEwan’s literary magic. In general, I try to avoid horror or even horror-tinged books, but this was grabbed me in slow increments and at the end I was so invested in the character of the baby that I wanted to know how the rest of his life went. Time to reread Hamlet.
Wow, that was an unexpected journey. The general story of the novel is not a new one. The wife is unfaithful with her brother-in-law and they commit murder to gain money. What makes this a very unique novel is the perspective from which it is written: the unborn child. Trudy is well into her pregnancy when she and her lover decide to murder her husband, sell his house, and run away with millions. All the while there is a silent witness, her baby, listening in on her horrendous plans, powerless against the adults' actions.
The baby's thoughts are uncommon for a child his age. He is a sponge absorbing everything around him. He is greatly in tune with his mother's routines and disturbingly present in many adult unpleasantries. When you think the murderous duo can get away with their seeming perfect crime, the child's actions stop their hasty escape.
I would recommend this book to those who enjoy shorter novels with quick and exciting conclusions.
The baby's thoughts are uncommon for a child his age. He is a sponge absorbing everything around him. He is greatly in tune with his mother's routines and disturbingly present in many adult unpleasantries. When you think the murderous duo can get away with their seeming perfect crime, the child's actions stop their hasty escape.
I would recommend this book to those who enjoy shorter novels with quick and exciting conclusions.
What a deliciously unique book.
The day I finished it, I wanted to give it five stars.
The day after I finished it, I wanted to give it five stars.
Four days after finishing it, I'm giving it four stars.
What happened?
The glamour of it wore off just a little bit for me.
Here is the easiest way for me to explain this. The story is meandering along in a lazy, warm summer day sort of way until suddenly it isn't. And then it is like one of those old TCM movies where the suspense is building and the violins are screeching and your heart is pounding. And then...BOOM. Silence.
The effect is magnificent.
Once I calmed down, it was still a unique tale that will stick in my mind for a long time. However, other things will stick with me as well such as my frequent nagging thoughts of things not making any sense at all - like a fetus being able to describe colors or rooms or what characters were doing at particular times. I can forgive that the fetus "speaks" better than a Harvard professor, but I can't forgive this as easily!
This is a short read and well worth the read. Try to push past the first couple chapters if the language/writing throws you off. It actually reads very easily once you hit the groove. And then it's witty and hilarious and suspenseful and delightful.
The day I finished it, I wanted to give it five stars.
The day after I finished it, I wanted to give it five stars.
Four days after finishing it, I'm giving it four stars.
What happened?
The glamour of it wore off just a little bit for me.
Here is the easiest way for me to explain this. The story is meandering along in a lazy, warm summer day sort of way until suddenly it isn't. And then it is like one of those old TCM movies where the suspense is building and the violins are screeching and your heart is pounding. And then...BOOM. Silence.
The effect is magnificent.
Once I calmed down, it was still a unique tale that will stick in my mind for a long time. However, other things will stick with me as well such as my frequent nagging thoughts of things not making any sense at all - like a fetus being able to describe colors or rooms or what characters were doing at particular times. I can forgive that the fetus "speaks" better than a Harvard professor, but I can't forgive this as easily!
This is a short read and well worth the read. Try to push past the first couple chapters if the language/writing throws you off. It actually reads very easily once you hit the groove. And then it's witty and hilarious and suspenseful and delightful.
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