Contemporary Reads: The Child In Time

The Child in Time (1987) is one of the early novels by Ian McEwan. It tells the story about how children's author Stephen and her wife, Julie, had her 3-year old daughter, Kate, kidnapped. How their marriage suffers and they only come to terms with it after their separation and Julie's new pregnancy.

We also learn about Stephen's parents' life in old age and as a young couple. And there is also the storyline about Stephen's first publisher, Charles, who later becomes a government minister and a favourite of the Prime Minister only to resign at the top of his game and retire to the countryside where he'll end up committing suicide.

This is a novel essentially about children and parenting but also a great reflection on Time and its passing.

I'm an inconditional of McEwan's and I am yet to read a book by him that would prove me wrong.

Other books I have read by the same author: The Cement Garden, Enduring Love, Amsterdam, Saturday and Atonement.