On Chesil Beach » Book Review

On Chesil Beach is a novelette by Ian McEwan, the esteemed author of Atonement.  I've never read Atonement, despite owning a copy of the book. However, from watching the movie, I figure that Atonement is about the biggest errors of people's lives. Fitting in with that theme, On Chesil Beach is also about life-altering mistakes.

The novelette follows Florence and Edward, young newlyweds on the first night of their honeymoon, in 1962.  They're both virgins, but the couple have wildly different views on sex.  Edward is typical, highly anticipating their night of physicality before them.  Florence, however, is revolted by the idea of bodily intimacy, and she hasn't confided in Edward about this.

The book, at its beginning, was just slamming my funny bone.  Usually I don't laugh at sexual gags, but McEwan's dark and intellectual humor seriously got me.  I was throwing my head back, screwing my eyes shut, laughing. It was all surprisingly therapeutic.

There was also content about Edward and Florence's respective upbringings.  Edward grew up in a working-class, progressive household, while Florence's childhood was more upper-crust, old-world. There may have been some British subtleties that went over my head there, but the writing was still engaging.

The ending itself, and the entire book, wasn't sad per se, but it did approach poignancy.  This isn't a book that made me cry, but there wasn't a fairy-tale finale, either.  Nevertheless, I found this book to be pleasantly cathartic.  I give it 4.5 stars and recommend highly.