The Child in Time

by Ian McEwan
The Child in Time cover
Good Books rating 4.12
Literary Fiction
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  • ID: 3135
  • Added: 2025-10-16
  • Updated: 2025-12-30
  • Publisher: Penguin Group
  • Published: 1988-01-01
  • Formats: 1
  • Reviews: 4

Stephen Lewis's life is forever altered when his three-year-old daughter Kate vanishes without a trace during a routine shopping trip. The uncertainty and grief that follow consume him and his wife, driving them apart in their despair. The narrative delves deeply into the emotional turmoil and psychological effects of such a profound loss, as well as the passage of time that both heals and punishes. /n/n Ian McEwan's novel is a poignant exploration of love, loss, and the resilience of the human spirit. It is a story that will resonate with anyone who has ever experienced the pain of losing a loved one or the struggle to rebuild a life shattered by tragedy.

Reviews
The Reading Bug · 2021-11-04
Moving 4.50

The novel concludes with a poignant scene of love and hope, showcasing the author's remarkable gifts. The ending is both traditional and deeply moving.

The reviewer appreciated the novel's conclusion, which they found to be both traditional and deeply moving. The ending, with its themes of death and birth, provides a sense of closure and hope. The reviewer also noted the eloquence and passion in the writing, which makes the novel a remarkable read. The emotional depth and the way the story concludes leave a lasting impression on the reader.

Quick quotes

    Eloquent and passionate, the novel concludes in a triumphant scene of love and hope that gives full rein to the author's remarkable gifts.

    The novel ends with a death and a birth, which seems an almost traditional way of concluding a story.

    The emotional depth and the way the story concludes leave a lasting impression on the reader.

The Guardian · 2015-08-05
Harrowing 4.50

The novel explores how life can change irrevocably in an instant, leaving a lasting impact. It highlights the profound and often unnoticed horrors in everyday life.

The reviewer was struck by how the novel made them see the horror in the mundane, something they had not considered before. The story's ability to make them 'un-think' their previous perceptions shows its power. The novel's exploration of how a single moment can alter everything is both compelling and unsettling. The reviewer appreciates McEwan's skill in making the ordinary seem extraordinary through his storytelling.

Quick quotes

    Ian McEwan's novel made imaginable something I had not imagined before, and could not now un-think: that in a moment everything can change utterly.

    The novel made me see the horror in the everyday.

    It is a story that lingers, not just for its plot, but for the way it makes you see the world differently.

Freshly Worded · Freshly Worded · 2013-10-01
bewitching 3.50

The novel is a bewitching yet disjointed exploration of childhood and loss, with a narrative that stumbles through various lives. It is both strange and captivating, delving into themes of obsession and the passage of time.

Freshly Worded describes The Child in Time as a strange and disjointed novel that nonetheless captivates the reader. The narrative stumbles through various lives, each touched by the themes of childhood and loss. The review highlights the novel's bewitching quality, noting its exploration of obsession and the passage of time. While the structure may be unconventional, the emotional depth and thematic richness make it a compelling read. The novel's ability to delve into the complexities of human experience is both its strength and its challenge.

Quick quotes

    Overall, I found it a strange, disjointed, stumbling and yet also bewitching novel, delving in and out of other people's lives before returning to its central narrative.

    The Child in Time is a novel that lingers in the mind, its themes of loss and love resonating long after the last page is turned.

    McEwan's prose is elegant and precise, each word carrying weight and meaning.

Condofire · 2008-11-13
Compelling 4.00

The novel deals with a profound theme of how a single event can irrevocably change a person's life. The protagonist's journey is both compelling and deeply affecting.

The reviewer found the novel's central theme of life-altering events particularly striking. The protagonist's life is changed by a single act not of his own doing, which adds a layer of tragedy and complexity to the story. The reviewer appreciates McEwan's ability to delve into the emotional depth of his characters and the impact of such life-changing moments. The novel's exploration of these themes makes it a compelling read.

Quick quotes

    The Child in Time deals with a compelling 'McEwanesque' theme in which the protagonist's life is irrevocably changed by a single act not of his own doing.

    The novel is a profound exploration of how a single event can alter the course of one's life.

    McEwan's writing is both eloquent and deeply affecting, making the reader feel the weight of the protagonist's journey.

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