I really didn’t like the book at first, but about halfway in it started growing on me. The author somehow manages to balance the psychological and the psysiological sides of the human brain when he describes what the main character goes through on a Saturday. It’s a book that’s hard to forget.

I had some difficulty getting into this book. The problem I had with it was that I found it really difficult to relate at all to the main character. I couldn’t find it in myself to really care about him or his family (who I find a bit pretentious) all the way up to the end of the book. That being said I think this book had some fresh thoughts on some discussed-to-death social commentary.

I had the same reaction to this as I did to V for Vendetta. It’s a bunch of political propaganda dressed up as entertainment. However, that said, it wasn’t so didactic that it turned me off. It also has insighful things to say on a topic we’ve all heard discussed to death (i.e., terrorism and the Iraq war).
There were a few things that were a bit far fetched too. (For example, how did Baxter find Henry’s house?) Entertaining, glad I read it, but I probably won’t run out and get his next book right off the presses.

although the recitation of the Arnold poem was cheese on toast! Shame! I read the final pages with increasing irritation yes yes yeszzzzzzzzzzzzz

Ugh, I’m just not sure I can finish this. It is SO SLOW… More than one entire page just to describe a punch to the stomach. I’m in the mood to zip through a book, and I’m crawling here…

My father is forever passing on Ian McEwan books to me and insisting I read them. I confess that I’ve only read a couple but they’re just not my thing. Maybe I’ll read this eventually.

It could be worse, it’s not as though he gives me self help books or anything like that.