Hey Everyone,

How are you?

Life has gotten a bit complicated. As I may have mentioned before that I work in the Post Office, in recent events my Manager has left the company. Leaving us all in the dark about who will take over and when we’ll start work again. As of this post, we are still in the dark. Hopefully, it will happen soon because I just want to get back to work and not sit at home doing nothing.

Anyway, on to the book review…

On Chesil Beach by Ian McEwan

It is July 1962. Edward and Florence, young innocents married that morning, arrive at a hotel on the Dorset coast. At dinner in their rooms they struggle to suppress their private fears of the wedding night to come and, unbeknownst t them both, the events of the evening will haunt them for the rest of their lives.

Published: April 2007
Published Edition: May 2018
Publishers: Vintage
Genre: Fiction, Historical Fiction

Pages: 176

Format of Reading: Paperback

Goodreads Star Rating: 🌟🌟🌟

Review

I was first interested in this book mainly because of the movie. My first impression of the book and movie was that it was about a relationship between the two main characters and for the duration of the impending nuptials one of them was unsure of the relationship which left with a change of heart. It’s not what I thought it was but it was close.

I found the book to be hard to get into at the beginning, you start with them already married and on their way to the hotel and once your there, you learn more about Edward and Florence.

The book unfolds the awkward and insecurities between the characters on their consummation. Both are afraid of what the other one thinks and also afraid to open up about what they really feel. It comes down to the saying “you can never forget your first love” your first love is everything everyone goes through. You remember how they feel, how they talk and walk. You follow both of these characters before they meet each other and you do see how they both felt for one another.

But it is also about their first time which is something that both of these characters are unsure of. They both want to do it but one is even more afraid of leading it the wrong way. It’s on the scale of “I want to do it” or “can I do it?”. I honestly felt that the book should have opened the door a bit more of the relationship, I am a person that likes to see a relationship unfold.

It’s a good book but just not for me.

What do you think? Have you read this book? Seen the movie? Let me know.