Solar

by Kathy Young | 2:51 pm 11/07/2010

Author: Ian McEwan Publisher: Jonathan Cape Rating: 3/5

Fans of Ian McEwan, prepare to be disappointed. Solar may be the closest McEwan has gotten to a rush job. Indeed, I was dismayed, and about halfway through I kept wondering if McEwan had actually written the book himself.

Solar focuses on the current topic du jour – climate change – and even includes references to the Copenhagen Accord. But even being topical and relevant didn’t make it a good read. I was never in the grip of this novel the way I was with his earlier works such as Saturday, Atonement, or On Chesil Beach.

That said, in his defense, McEwan hasn’t shortchanged us with regards to his research. It would, after all, be foolish to neglect research when his protagonist is a prize-winning scientist. Michael Beard has grown lazy and indifferent (and takes credit for his students’ work), but is still flown around the world to talk about his great discovery and his research centre dedicated to solving the riddle of cheap, alternative power sources. He is a fat, slovenly, womanising waste of space, and I grew to dislike him intensely. This brought on the epiphany that maybe McEwan was up to standard after all. I could obviously actively engage with the book enough to begin hating the main character. Then again, it wasn’t an encouraging sign, that the only reason to keep reading the book is to see if the despicable Beard finally gets what he deserves. And he does. I probably should’ve started with a spoiler alert there.

Solar certainly isn’t McEwan’s best work, but that won’t stop diehard fans from flocking to the bookstores. It’s topical and the characters are characteristically well written, though that isn’t quite enough to make me give a glowing recommendation.

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