1001 Book Challenge - Saturday by Ian McEwan

*warning - spoilers* This is the 1000th title on the 1001 list. It's odd reviewing a newer book, because all of my reviews so far have been pretty much from the middle of the lot. It's also the first book I've read so far specifically for this challenge, although I have been fully aware of its existence before now. I think McEwan is a formidable writer. Anyone familiar with his work would agree. In fact, when I come to teaching my writing class, I will very possibly use Part One and, maybe, Two as examples of 'how to' create tone, foreshadowing and character in a text. But I did have problems with it for a while. It does get bogged down a little in the middle. I did come to a point of frustration, where I was tempted to put it down, and I'm glad I didn't. Suddenly, before I'd realised, I'd read 100 pages in a stretch (when the main character, and his family, suffer a hostage situation) and it all came together. Set in post 9-11 political times, McEwan blends the over-arching politcal climate in which we find ourselves drenched, where we cannot escape the media, to the more private decisions, made with our own moral comapasses, and how devastating they both can be. At least, that's what I thought.