What I expect from an Ian McEwan novel is a psychologically-tinted, descriptive read. This is what makes Enduring Love, for me, the most interesting story on the topic of love. Not only love but also commitment – imagined and real – within the form of marriage.
The story is praised for its opening chapter – the iconic and tragic incident in which five men run towards an escaping hot air balloon which holds the life of a young child inside. McEwan paints a captivating and detailed story of Joe, Clarissa and Jed. Joe, a theoretical physicist. Clarissa, a literary-minded woman. And Jed Parry.
With this third companion to the marriage, love becomes skewed as we – like Joe – are thrown into the compelling yet sad narrative of Jed’s love letters and obsession following the titular incident.
The romance in Enduring Love comes not from the marriage story but from the notion that Jed, following the life-changing event, is now in love. Having been pulled together with Joe in this fated incident, despite the inappropriateness of Jed’s affections, his narrative is made sympathetic and bewitchingly understandable by McEwan. Jed’s unwavering faith in Joe is coloured with religious rhetoric, taking the form of love letters throughout the book.
Love as a sickness makes for an interesting theme and as Joe falls into paranoia, love becomes increasingly twisted.
‘It was as if I had fallen through a crack in my own existence, down into another life, another set of sexual preferences, another past history and future.’
McEwan balances the normality and steadiness of home life with Clarissa and Joe expertly with the gentle but toxic romantic obsessions of Jed.
I recommend this as an interesting take on a love story, it’s well-paced and a respectfully shorter read than your typical romance novel. Enjoyable even for cynics.
‘Had I known what this glance meant to him at the time, and how he was to construe it later… I honoured Parry with a friendly nod and, ignoring Clarissa at my back – I was a busy man, I would deal with them all one at a time – I said to him in what I thought was a deep and reassuring voice, “It’s all right”.’
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