Customer Reviews
Sexual innocence, longing and anxiety in a short, touching novel - By: UK reader, 25 Aug 2008 
In an age of sex being everywhere, media portrayals of everyone being sexual athletes & 'at it' all the time, this was a welcome novel of innocence, longing & anxiety about the 'first time.'
I was touched by this short novel & would read it again. I think McEwan writes about love sensitively & look forward to reading his other works.
Paper thin plot and cardboard characters - By: hw, 23 Aug 2008 
Okay, so the 1950s were dull (apart from Rock `n' Roll) & this dreary novella will do nothing to dispel that image.
The plot (inasmuch as there is a plot) centres on the courtship & (very) brief marriage of Florence & Edward.
More odd couple than star-crossed lovers, Florence's background is smart, academic Oxford whilst Edward is a grammar school boy from rural Oxfordshire. One day, their eyes meet across a CND leaflet & ...
... well, that's about as exciting as it gets.
Florence & Edward are cardboard characters who never really take on lives of their own & who you will find it difficult to love, hate or even care about much: after all, they're just charactersin a book.
Frustrating... - By: Alison H, 16 Aug 2008 
I've loved all of the other Ian McEwan books I've read, but although I acknoweldge that this is very well written I just didn't enjoy it at all. I found it very hard going & frankly, didn't have much sympathy for either of the characters. Someone called it a "Tragic love story" but love doesn't really come into itin my opinion!
full of heartache and love not realised - By: Roni, 20 Jul 2008 
this novella is a wonderful exploration into the deeper emotions - today is a world of excess & exposure with little censure - this book is an amazing contrast, tapping into emotions, uncertaintly & misunderstanding with such precision, such clarity & such understanding to leave the reader unable to put the book down - it doesn't get 5 stars because the end feels rushed & lacking completeness - otherwise one of Ian McEwans best
My first McEwan - By: Mr. D. Trim, 20 Jul 2008 This book is the first McEwan I have read. I only picked it up because I have been to Chesil Beach on many occassions. The story is not of the type I normally enjoy & look for. However I found this book refreshingly different & well written. The two central characters are real & createdin superb detail. After reading this book I have gone on to enjoy other McEwan novels, specifically Saturday, which I think is pefect for people who enjoy this novella.
