Saturday by Ian McEvan - Fiction

Saturday by Ian McEwan is a thrilling story that spans a full winter Saturday in the heart of London, England. The main character, Henry Perowne, is not only a distinguished neurosurgeon but is happily married to a successful newspaper lawyer, with two children who are now adults, moving in and out of their lives as these children explore their future lifestyles. There is happiness and contentment in this family life. 

The author weaves in and out of various characters as they impact the lives of the Perownes. On this Saturday morning the main character encounters a very unpleasant interaction while he was driving through the streets of London avoiding the marching protesters decrying the imminent Iraq war involvement. The story unravels as this one incident becomes a constant thorn on the sides of the Perowne family.  Eventually, Henry Perowne is struggling to save his family from being critically harmed by this one interaction on that Saturday morning. 

It is a story that keeps the reader captivated as each scene is vividly described bringing in anxiety and wonder of what will come next. The main character tends to reflect and analyze the various situations he encounters and appears to be accepting of what transpires during this day. It is an unusual story with well-researched information on neurosurgery with gory details of a brain operation that is translated to easily digestible data for an average reader. These sections bring authenticity to the novel.

Saturday by Ian McEwan is a gripping read with many twists and turns throughout the novel and concludes with unexpected outcomes.