I'm only half way through Amsterdam -- this book won the Booker prize, by the way. So far, I'm not terribly wowed by the plot or the characters. However, McEwan's use of words is delightful at times -- I found certain phrases and passages to be particularly striking. Furthermore, he does touch on many interesting enough themes -- friendship, jealousy, infidelity, choice, even assisted suicide... Ethics weaves its way into the story at several levels...and the narrative is sometimes carried by musical imagery along the way (one of the characters is a musician)...I can't decide if this is effective or irritating. Nevertheless, I'm curious to see how things will unfold -- but again, I'm not riveted. I'll let you know if I change my tune by the end of the book!

I haven't read anything else by this author, but sure, I'll give it another try. I hope to finish Amsterdam today, and leave it somewhere in Bloor West Village (Toronto). The book is in terrible condition, I'm sorry -- but I got it for a dollar, so there. Enjoy!

Released on Saturday, June 07, 2003 at Timothy's Bloor West Village - Bloor near Jane in Toronto, Ontario Canada.

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