Enduring Love

by Ian McEwan
Enduring Love cover
Good Books rating 3.5
Thriller/Suspense
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Paperback • £9.99
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  • ID: 3137
  • Added: 2025-10-16
  • Updated: 2025-10-19
  • ISBN: 9780099276586
  • Publisher: Random House
  • Published: 1998-01-01
  • Formats: 2
  • Reviews: 3

Enduring Love begins on a windy summer's day in the Chilterns, where Joe Rose's life is abruptly disrupted by a tragic ballooning accident. The aftermath of this event brings him into contact with Jed Parry, a man whose fixation on Joe escalates into a dangerous obsession. The novel explores the psychological toll of this encounter, delving into themes of love, obsession, and the fragility of human relationships. /n/n Ian McEwan's masterful storytelling weaves a tale of suspense and psychological depth, drawing readers into Joe's struggle to understand and escape the clutches of Jed Parry. The narrative is both gripping and thought-provoking, highlighting the fine line between infatuation and madness.

Reviews
Mostly About Stories · 2024-08-12
engaging 3.00

The novel is described as painfully real and upper-middle-class, with a focus on the events that drive the story forward.

The reviewer from Mostly About Stories describes Enduring Love as a novel where things actually happen, making it a gripping read. They note that the book is painfully real and steeped in upper-middle-class English life, which adds a layer of authenticity to the story. The reviewer appreciates the novel's ability to explore the raw and often uncomfortable aspects of human relationships, making it a memorable and impactful read.

Quick quotes

    Enduring Love is a book where things actually happen.

    It is also a painfully real novel.

    It is the most upper-middle-class English story I have read in a long time.

Kara Reviews · Kara Babcock · 2013-12-07
complex 4.00

The novel is praised for its simplicity and depth, making it both easy to read and deeply thought-provoking.

Kara Babcock from Kara Reviews highlights that Enduring Love is a short but complex novel, simple enough to read without taxing the mind, yet deep enough to leave a lasting impression. They appreciate McEwan's ability to weave a compelling narrative that is both accessible and intellectually stimulating. The reviewer notes that the novel's exploration of themes such as love, obsession, and mental illness makes it a standout piece of literature.

Quick quotes

    Enduring Love is a short but very complex novel.

    It is simple enough not to tax the mind while reading, but deep enough to swallow that same mind.

    McEwan's exploration of themes such as love, obsession, and mental illness is both compelling and thought-provoking.

The Guardian · 1999-09-07
thought-provoking 3.50

The book is praised for its depth and complexity, though it struggles to fully dramatize its themes. The reviewer appreciates McEwan's ability to explore rich, divided perspectives.

The Guardian's reviewer highlights that Enduring Love is a compelling read, despite its occasional struggles to fully dramatize its themes. They particularly appreciate McEwan's ability to delve into complex, divided perspectives, making the novel a rich and thought-provoking experience. The reviewer suggests that the book's strength lies in its exploration of human psychology and the intricacies of relationships, even if the narrative doesn't always fully capture the depth of its themes.

Quick quotes

    Enduring Love is much the better book, despite its inability fully to dramatise its themes, perhaps because McEwan himself is richly divided.

    The novel explores themes of obsession and the fragility of human connections with a depth that is both compelling and unsettling.

    McEwan's prose is as precise as it is evocative, drawing the reader into a world where the boundaries between love and obsession blur.

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