The Children Act

Ian McEwan

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Ian McEwan's 'The Children Act' follows the life of Fiona Maye, a family court judge facing both personal and professional challenges. Her husband requests an open marriage while she must decide whether a 17-year-old Jehovah's Witness should receive a life-saving blood transfusion against his wishes. Through Fiona's narrative, the book delves into themes of obsession, love, and the complexities of human emotions and relationships. The writing style is described as vivid, fluid, and dynamic, capturing Fiona's inner turmoil and the weight of her decisions.

Characters:

The characters, including the conflicted judge Fiona and the introspective Adam, are richly developed, showcasing their emotional struggles and moral complexities.

Writing/Prose:

Ian McEwan's writing style is characterized by precise, lyrical prose that captures the intricate emotional landscapes of his characters while maintaining an observant, detached tone.

Plot/Storyline:

The plot centers on Fiona Maye, a family court judge, who navigates a tense legal dilemma involving a teenager's refusal of life-saving treatment due to religious beliefs, all while her own marriage is in crisis.

Setting:

Set in London, the novel's key locations—courts, hospitals, and Fiona's home—serve to underscore the tension between professional duty and personal conflict.

Pacing:

The novel's pacing effectively juxtaposes the urgent legal proceedings with slower, contemplative moments, ensuring a balance of tension and character introspection.

LONDON. TRINITY TERM one week old. Implacable June weather. Fiona Maye, a High Court judge, at home on Sunday evening, supine on a chaise longue, staring past her stockinged feet toward the end of the...

Notes:

The Children Act was published in 2014 by Ian McEwan.

The novel is about Fiona Maye, a High Court judge in the Family Division.

Fiona is dealing with her marriage difficulties while also ruling on life and death cases involving children.

One major case involves a 17-year-old Jehovah's Witness named Adam, who refuses a blood transfusion due to his faith.

The story explores the tension between religious beliefs and the welfare of minors.

The book examines themes of personal and professional conflict, particularly in Fiona's life.

Fiona has been married for 30 years but faces a crisis when her husband asks to have an affair.

The novel is structured in five chapters, with the first three taking place over 48 hours.

Ian McEwan is known for his precise and lyrical writing style, which is evident in this work.

Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings

Content warnings include themes of cancer, religious conflict, medical treatment refusal, marital infidelity, and emotional distress.

From The Publisher:

Now a Major Motion Picture starring Emma Thompson, Stanley Tucci, and Fionn Whitehead.

One of the Best Books of the Year: The Washington Post, NPR, Vogue, BookRiot

Fiona Maye is a leading High Court judge who presides over cases in the family division. She is renowned for her fierce intelligence, exactitude, and sensitivity. But her professional success belies private sorrow and domestic strife. There is the lingering regret of her childlessness, and now her marriage of thirty years is in crisis.

At the same time, she is called on to try an urgent case: Adam, a beautiful seventeen-year-old boy, is refusing for religious reasons the medical treatment that could save his life, and his devout parents echo his wishes. Time is running out. Should the secular court overrule sincerely expressed faith? In the course of reaching a decision, Fiona visits Adam in the hospital-an encounter that stirs long-buried feelings in her and powerful new emotions in the boy. Her judgment has momentous consequences for them both.

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The Children Act?

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About the Author:

Ian McEwan is the bestselling author of seventeen books, including the novels Nutshell; The Children Act; Sweet Tooth; Solar, winner of the Bollinger Everyman Wodehouse Prize; Saturday; Atonement, winner of the National Book Critics Circle Award and the W. H. Smith Literary Award; The Comfort of Strangers and Black…

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