I love literary fiction, but Lessons was just too much detail and too slow for me. However, I had read bad reviews and I liked the book more than I thought that I would. Lessons tells the story of one man’s life: Roland Baines. Roland’s wife abandons him and his newborn son and we travel through his past with him. It is a lot of detail and while some of the storylines really worked, they were bogged down in detail that detracted from and slowed the story.

3.5

This was my first book by Ian McEwan, and I can clearly understand why he's one of the most well-respected authors around today. This book was a masterpiece that spanned decades of one's man life, from post-war Europe to current day. I enjoyed how he used historical events as a backdrop for Roland's life, along with some of the political commentary included.

This had super long chapters, which I'm usually not a fan of, but this story kept me so engrossed that I didn't seem to mind as much. The writing pulled me right in, and this book covered so many serious topics and themes that I feel like it would have something relatable for nearly everyone in it.

I hadn't read any other books by this author but I had heard good things ahead of this one. I'm so glad I had the opportunity. This book really pulled at my heart strings and kind of haunted my thoughts even after it was over. An excellent read!

Lessons is an expansive, meditative novel that traces the life of Roland Baines, a man shaped by the echoes of history and personal choices. At its core, this book is a sweeping portrait of post-war Britain through the lens of one man’s intimate experiences, but it also grapples with broader themes of time, fate, and the profound impact of political and social movements on individual lives.

McEwan’s novel, clocking in at nearly 500 pages, weaves together Roland’s personal milestones with pivotal historical events like the Cuban Missile Crisis, the fall of the Berlin Wall, and even the COVID-19 pandemic. Roland's life is shaped early on by a complicated and inappropriate relationship with his piano teacher, a traumatic affair that resonates throughout his years, influencing his relationships, career, and self-worth. McEwan masterfully examines how childhood traumas can reverberate into adulthood, questioning how much agency we have in shaping our own lives versus being at the mercy of our pasts and global events.

Both thoughtful and shocking: vintage McEwan. From sentence to character to plot, LESSONS draws us in and does not let go until the end.

I really wanted to love this because the sweeping scope of the story is something that appeals to me, but I had such a hard time connecting with the characters that it didn’t live up to expectations. I was really turned off by a couple of the story lines and the fact that they felt fairly unresolved.

I enjoyed parts of this book, but others felt like it dragged on quite a bit. Definitely felt like it was too long and could easily have been edited down.

Ian McEwan has long been on my to read list. Lessons is the first of his books I am reading. Certain books leave a feeling that perhaps the reader is not "clever" enough to follow or understand the depths the author is trying to reach. To me, that is not a fault of the book but an indication that I am not the reader for the book. Perhaps, I will try a different book by the author. Perhaps not. This one was not for me.

Read my complete review at http://www.memoriesfrombooks.com/2024/06/lessons.html

Reviewed for NetGalley.

Ian McEwan's latest novel is an expansive tale of ambition, disappointment, and familial strife set against a backdrop of significant historical events. Following Roland Baines, a struggling lounge pianist and journalist, the narrative unfolds from the Blitz to Brexit, intertwining personal struggles with global crises. Roland grapples with the abandonment of his son's mother, Alissa, who later achieves fame as an author, albeit at Roland's expense. As Roland reflects on his own traumas and uncertainties, McEwan skillfully weaves in pivotal moments in world history, from Chernobyl to 9/11, capturing the tumultuous nature of the times. Despite its occasional predictability, the novel offers a poignant exploration of human resilience and the enduring impact of family secrets amidst a world in flux.

I Wouk’s call this one historical fiction. It was pretty interesting. Thanks for the review copy. I know lots enjoy McEwan’s books.

Lessons by Ian McEwan is a lengthy tome of a book made for loves of literary fiction. It's a character study with a sense of history that follows the life of Roland - a successful pianist set against the backdrop of post-war England.

Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for sharing this book with me. All thoughts are my own.

This novel progresses like an autobiography, and since the writer is, to our good fortune, still living, the story has a great deal of trouble finding an ending. It lacks the grace, polish, and form of good fiction. And yes, there are direct parallels to McEwan's life, particularly the story of his brother. The plot meanders, sways, dips, and rises. The protagonist loves, loses, and mourns characters he loves and knows intimately, but we do not know them at all well and so the fuss leaves the reader a bit confused and, at times, is within shouting distance of the maudlin.

But this is McEwan, and he is a brilliant intellect and a great writer. There is something very interesting going on in the parallel not only between the protagonist and his brother Robert but between the former and his wife Alissa, a kind of doppelganger dynamic concerning what turns out to be and what might have been, not unlike what Henry James treats in The Jolly Corner. McEwan's protagonist is a precocious and brilliantly talented artist who accomplishes nothing, while his wife, who is less obviously talented at first, becomes a great and famous artist. To do so she trades in her life. He retains his, such as it is.

I think McEwan is one of the very best writers writing in English today, but there is something amiss here. It's almost as though he felt he had to write this book. It isn't up to his high standard.

In the aftermath of the Second World War, with the Iron Curtain drawn across the world, eleven-year-old Roland Baines finds his life dramatically altered. Separated from his mother by two thousand miles, he becomes a resident of an unconventional boarding school. Vulnerable and adrift, he becomes the target of his piano teacher, Miss Miriam Cornell, leaving enduring scars and a lingering memory of a love that will endure.

Fast forward to the present, and Roland, now faced with the sudden disappearance of his wife, is left alone to care for their young son. In the shadow of the Chernobyl radiation spreading across Europe, he embarks on a quest for answers, delving deep into his family's history. The journey reveals the complex tapestry of his past, shaping the course of his life. The narrative, penned by a skilled author, unfolds beautifully, offering intriguing insights into Roland's early years in Libya and the dynamics within his dysfunctional boarding school experience. The exploration of his relationship with Alissa, a successful novelist, adds layers of complexity, creating a rich tapestry of life experiences. While the narrative occasionally meanders, it masterfully captures the profound impact of formative years on Roland's character, aspirations, and relationships.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for sending a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This simply was not for me, sad as I have enjoyed many of his novels, but I couldn’t get past how awkward and strange it was.

The story of each lifetime is that generational trauma is real; we carry it with us without knowing it, until we do; and when we realize it, kindness and forgiveness and redemption are the way forward. Sometimes this takes decades. The world is not black and white; few people are 100% evil or good; the shades of grey are where we grow the most, where we learn the important lessons of a lifetime. This is a powerful book. It uses tension well as we witness something of a slow-buildup over the decades of the protagonists life and the unfolding of the eponymous "lessons". A profound story that will sit with you even when long finished reading it.

Good story, it feels very intimate at times. Likely to make for an intriguing and thought provoking reading

Thanks to NetGalley and Knopf for access to the title.

Roland comes of age in a boarding school far from the familiar. His encounters with his piano teacher leave him (and the reader) scarred and, somehow, still attached. He carries his scars and their lessons through future relationships.

I loved the historical time frames covered in the book, especially the sense of awe and bewilderment at the Berlin Wall.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for giving me access to the free advanced digital copy of this book.

Another impressive book from Ian McEwan. Loved the character and the development over his life. Thank you to NetGalley and Knopf for allowing me to read it.

Oh my did I struggle with this one after about 100 pages in. For the first 100 pages I was completely enraptured, thinking I might be reading a favorite book. While horrifying, the story of the young man and the piano teacher was enthralling. And I was on board with the first bit when we encounter the young man again as an adult. I wanted this to be more of a character study, and the first chunk led me to feel that's what I was getting. Unfortunately, I never got pulled into the explorations of the culture of the past half century, and that became increasingly the focus of the novel. I guess I prefer my McEwan to be concise and cutting.