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The Child in Time

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The Child in Time

By: Ian McEwan
Narrated by: Nathaniel Parker
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About this listen

The Child in Time opens with a harrowing event. Stephen Lewis,a successful author of children's books, takes his three-year-old daughter on a routine Saturday morning trip to the supermarket. While waiting in line, his attention is distracted and his daughter is kidnapped. Just like that. From there, Lewis spirals into bereavement that has effects on his relationship with his wife, his psyche, and time itself.

©1987 Ian McEwan (P)2014 (p) AudioGo Ltd. Published by Random House Audiobooks
Family Life Fiction Literary Fiction

What listeners say about The Child in Time

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  • Overall
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Joy

Such a joy. Ian McEwan is a favourite of mine however I was nervous of the storyline as not in the mood for a heavy story. How wrong could I be? The mix of stories is genius. Absolute genius.

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    2 out of 5 stars

Aimless stumbling from character to character a disjointed storyline

No end result of the missing child even the ending is left with answers. Going from one scene to next past to present aimless and confusing quite a depressing book

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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Beautifully written and narrated

Although this begins with a crime, this is not a crime story. It’s about deep and dark grief. It’s also about how it is possible to somehow find a glimpse of hope for a way out of it. Ian McEwan has an amazing way with words and the narrator, Nathaniel Parker delivers them perfectly.

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  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars
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what was that

not sure what i just listened to. not at all my cup of tea.

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    2 out of 5 stars
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Drab

I could not get into this story. Very slow. Too deep and metaphorical. I kept waiting for something interesting to happen.

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