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On Chesil Beach (Paperback)

by Ian McEwan (Author)
3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (224 customer reviews)
RRP: £7.99
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On Chesil Beach + Never Let Me Go + Saturday
Total RRP: £23.97
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  • This item: On Chesil Beach by Ian McEwan

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Product details

  • Paperback: 176 pages
  • Publisher: Vintage; Reprint edition (3 Jan 2008)
  • Language English
  • ISBN-10: 0099512793
  • ISBN-13: 978-0099512790
  • Product Dimensions: 19.6 x 13 x 1.4 cm
  • Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (224 customer reviews)
  • Amazon.co.uk Sales Rank: 1,249 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

    Popular in these categories:

    #2 in  Books > Fiction > 20th Century Classics > McEwan, Ian
    #47 in  Books > Fiction > By Period > 20th Century

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Product Description

Review

`two characters so vibrant they step straight off the page' --The Tablet

Guardian

'In its precision, scope and force, this is an astounding novel, more tender than anything McEwan has hitherto produced'
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Customer Reviews

224 Reviews
5 star:
 (68)
4 star:
 (65)
3 star:
 (41)
2 star:
 (25)
1 star:
 (25)
 
 
 
 
 
Average Customer Review
3.6 out of 5 stars (224 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

 
55 of 57 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars Sensitive and sad, 17 Mar 2008
By Suzie (Scotland, UK) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)   
This short book is a sensitive exploration of the consequences of thoughts not spoken and actions that are misunderstood. The fears and uncertainties at the centre of the novella might seem incomprehensible to younger readers, although deep down they may be as prevalent today as they were in the '50s and '60s.

As with all good short stories, the book is a snapshot of a few hours in the lives of its main characters, Florence and Edward. interspersed with flashbacks into their pasts, and how they met and fell in love. The writer alternates between viewpoints, so that the reader is privy to the build-up of misinterpretations that leads inexorably to the denouement. Such is Ian McEwan's skill as a writer that, despite so short an acquaintance with the young lovers, I really felt for them, and longed for something to release them from their tongue-tied misery and guide them to a happier conclusion.

McEwan is a master of the English language. His prose flows through the feelings and uncertainties of his characters, capturing every nuance of sensitivity. My only criticism is the last chapter. The book would perhaps have been stronger if the ending had been left in the air. The frenetic rush through another forty years left a feeling of breathlessness, although it did serve to underline the futility and waste that was all too avoidable - the hints and opportunities were there, but Florence and Edward were too young and naïve to realise their importance or the implications of ignoring them.

What remains after finishing the book is a sense of sadness and loss, but this is no deterrent to reading it. I loved it. Buy it and see what you think. Just don't expect a punchy story. Instead be prepared for a feast of sensitivities and emotions.
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13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars LOVED THIS BOOK AND IT'S MESSAGE, 25 Mar 2008
By Mrs. M. T. Hayward "Marie" (Romania) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   
I loved this book and didn't expect any more or any less from it. I took it for what it was, which is the account of one tragic day. Beautifully written, this book should be given to all those people who on the verge of a break-up, just to make them think ... is this what I really want? It teaches couples to share your feelings with each other or else risk losing something so important... I think that's the really crucial message from this book. How many broken hearts could be avoided if we did that?? Am I being soft....?? That's Mr McEwan for you!

On one final note, I praise the author on his handling of the female point of view. Many times I have read a book and known it was written by a man... not in this case, beautifully done!
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19 of 21 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars Tragic, doomed, 13 Feb 2008
By M. G. Wilson (Eastbourne) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   
McEwan handles this tragic, doomed love affair beautifully: the awkwardness; the rapture; the misunderstanding; the fumbling; the devotion. Yet the final coda, telescoping 'the rest of their life' into seven pages, seems almost to be notes for a longer work that the author decided not to complete.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars Short but by no means sweet.
"I am sorry Edward. I am most terribly sorry" are words that promise to haunt Edward Mayhew for a long time to come, as husband and wife irrevocably in love, are torn apart one... Read more
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4.0 out of 5 stars Powerful, well-woven tale of unsaid truths
This book is simple, unvarnished poetry. Many complex threads below the surface allow the reader to only glimpse at what make both protagonists so exquisite. Read more
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2.0 out of 5 stars Artificial
I read this book on the basis of a glowing recomendation from a friend. Whatever quality this book posseses which so powerfully resonated with them, I was not similarly affected... Read more
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5.0 out of 5 stars Very different!
Probably would not have chosen this book had I not read a review of it in the Saga Magazine! Proved to be very unusual but I couldn't put it down. Would certainly recommend it.
Published 1 month ago by Mrs. J. C. Edwards

5.0 out of 5 stars Love and failure


I was deeply impressed by this exquisite novel. MacEwan's language is absolutely beautiful and very elegant. Read more
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4.0 out of 5 stars Fine as in 'refined'
In this novella, meet two people bound not just by fate, but determined by their personal past.

As the story unfolds and the veil over the past of the protagonists... Read more
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4.0 out of 5 stars Heartbreaking and beautiful.
In essence, this is a story of two lives tainted by a moment. A story of the pettiness of human nature and the heartbreak of what might have been. Read more
Published 2 months ago by Book Critic

5.0 out of 5 stars poetry in prose
I thought that this short book was remarkable and full of sensitive insights into human relationships. Read more
Published 2 months ago by inch worm

5.0 out of 5 stars Leaves a lasting impression
Essentially this is a book about a young married couple and what happens when you don't sit down and talk calmly about problems. Read more
Published 2 months ago by Mr. J. P. Shields

4.0 out of 5 stars Totally convincing
This book is a joy to read. Not necessarily due to the content, which is often disturbing and frustrating; but due to its humanity. Read more
Published 2 months ago by Geoff Naylor

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