The Children Act

by Ian McEwan
The Children Act cover
Good Books rating 3.25
Literary Fiction
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  • ID: 3143
  • Added: 2025-10-16
  • Updated: 2025-12-30
  • ISBN: 9780099599630
  • Publisher: Random House
  • Published: 2015-04-09
  • Formats: 2
  • Reviews: 4

Fiona Maye, a respected High Court judge known for her intelligence and empathy, is confronted with a critical case involving a seventeen-year-old boy who refuses life-saving medical treatment due to religious beliefs. As time ticks away, Fiona visits the boy in the hospital, an encounter that stirs deep emotions in both of them. The weight of her decision will have profound consequences for their lives. /n/n Ian McEwan's The Children Act explores themes of morality, faith, and the complexities of human relationships. Through Fiona's journey, the novel delves into the personal and professional challenges faced by those in positions of power, highlighting the delicate balance between law, ethics, and personal conviction.

Reviews
Keeping Up with the Penguins · Sophie · 2021-12-28
intriguing 2.50

The novel is a strange tale that feels like a potboiler, fleshed out with interminable accounts of litigation. The characters are intriguing, but the pacing is off.

Sophie from Keeping Up with the Penguins describes The Children Act as a strange tale that feels more like a potboiler than a deeply thought-provoking novel. She appreciates the intriguing characters and the legal drama, but finds the pacing to be off and the accounts of litigation to be interminable. Sophie feels that the novel could have benefited from a more balanced approach, with less focus on the legal proceedings and more on the personal struggles of the characters. Despite its flaws, she acknowledges that the story is compelling and worth a read.

Quick quotes

    A strange tale.

    This is a potboiler fleshed out with interminable accounts of litigation.

    The characters are intriguing, but the pacing is off.

Julia's Books · Julia · 2019-01-24
affecting 4.00

The novel is both touching and deeply affecting, exploring one woman's internal struggles and the nature of human relationships. It is seen as a profound and emotionally resonant work.

Julia finds the novel to be both touching and deeply affecting, as it delves into the internal struggles of its protagonist and the complexities of human relationships. She appreciates the emotional depth and resonance of the story, which goes beyond a simple legal drama to explore themes of love, marriage, and personal identity. The reviewer is particularly moved by the way McEwan portrays the character's journey, making it a memorable and impactful read.

Quick quotes

    This is both a touching and deeply affecting novel about one woman's internal struggles and about human relationships in general and the nature of marital love.

    It is a profound and emotionally resonant work.

    The reviewer is particularly moved by the way McEwan portrays the character's journey.

Postcards from Purgatory · Bethany · 2014-11-03
compelling 3.50

The novel is described as a slow, tidy, and compelling study of an aging family court judge, with a focus on her personal and professional challenges. It is seen as a well-crafted and engaging exploration of complex themes.

Bethany describes the novel as a slow, tidy, and compelling study of an aging family court judge, Fiona Maye. She appreciates the way the story balances Fiona's professional duties with her personal life, creating a nuanced and engaging narrative. The reviewer finds the exploration of complex themes such as medical ethics and personal relationships to be well-crafted and thought-provoking, making it a compelling read.

Quick quotes

    This novel is a slow, tidy, and compelling third-person-limited study of an aging family court judge.

    Fiona Maye's job requires her to make difficult decisions that have profound implications.

    The exploration of complex themes such as medical ethics and personal relationships is well-crafted and thought-provoking.

The Guardian · Xan Brooks · 2014-09-11
good 3.00

The novel effectively uses poetry and music to explore profound themes, but the execution leaves something to be desired. The story is engaging but lacks the depth of McEwan's earlier works.

Xan Brooks from The Guardian highlights the novel's use of poetry and music as powerful tools to delve into complex themes. However, they note that while the story is engaging, it doesn't quite reach the heights of McEwan's earlier works. The narrative is compelling, but the execution feels somewhat lacking, making it a good read but not a great one. Brooks appreciates the attempt to blend legal drama with personal introspection, but they feel it could have been handled with more nuance and depth.

Quick quotes

    The power of poetry and music are invoked again in The Children Act, but in this novel they work with varying degrees of success.

    It is a novel that feels both timely and timeless, but ultimately falls short of McEwan's highest standards.

    The story is engaging, but the execution leaves something to be desired.

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