#56 Amsterdam, by Ian McEwan

 



Booker Prize:  WINNER 1998

Plot Time and Place:  90's, London, Lake District, Amsterdam

Opening sentence:  "Two former lovers of Molly Lane stood waiting outside the crematorium chapel with their backs to the February chill."

Plot summary:  Horrified by how their late friend Molly lost her mental independence before dying, Clive and Vernon make a suicide/ euthanasia pact. They vow that if either ever begins to lose their mental faculties, the other will arrange a legal mercy killing for them. Soon after, both men face crucial moral dilemmas that pit their professional ambitions against their ethics.

Review:  I enjoyed the characters, the writer is really good at showing each character's inner lives and thoughts. The book is humorous and at the same time exploring some dark themes, like jealousy, moral dilemmas and revenge.

Rating:  4/5

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