Arena

Not one of his best, but still well worth reading. Most impressive for its sweep of history, touching on WW2, the fall of the Berlin Wall, Thatcher, New Labour, Aids, Trump, Covid and more. The way that historical events impinge on the lives of ordinary people, and speculation on what lies ahead are skillfully handled. Less impressive for me is the characterisation, which at times stretches credulity almost to breaking point. Unusually for recent McEwan there is also a lack of humour, although the police interviews and disposal of ashes are two notable exceptions guaranteed to put a smile on your face. If you're a fan of McEwan, as I am, you should definitely read it; if you've not read him before, I'd suggest starting somewhere else, maybe Saturday, or Machines Like Me, or Nutshell.