Enduring Love

Some of you may wonder why it is that I hadn't already read Ian McEwan's Enduring Love, especially as it is viewed as McEwan's finest, and a modern masterpiece. With this view, I stand concurrent and directly in awe of McEwan's brilliance. The plot follows similar lines to that of Saturday, an in-depth look into London's upper/middle class family life. Saturday's focal point features the climax of a series of frightening events, so too does Enduring Love. However, amidst the gripping narrative lies contextual statements; the dynamics of true love, religion versus science, emotional extremism, and the dangers of assumption. The protagonist fits nicely into the recent line of McEwan narrative voices, and unlike most other works of his, the antagonist is based on a case of de Clerambault's syndrome, or 'Erotomania': the delusional belief that someone is in love with them. Seeing as this antagonist displays a profoundly intimate love of god also, the undercurrent theme is clear to the attentive reader. What's more, the characters are brought together at the beginning of the narrative through a fatuously unique event that, some would suggest, is not simply a coincidence. Where can one draw the line between an omnipotent god and fate? Indeed, the title itself forms certain expectations. The obvious connection is that of the persistent antagonist, besotted with his love, disillusioned by signals, but simultaneously, our titular expectations immediately flare when understanding the relationship between our protagonist and his wife, Clarissa; can their love endure the strains of uncontrollable torment? I highly recommend this book. And so it surprised me to discover that a very British film based on the novel was made in 2006 starring Samantha Morton and Daniel Craig. Why I hadn't come across advertisements for this I do not know. And yet, the film was wonderful. Given that for the first half an hour I found myself horrified and actively shouting at the screen in discontent, the majority of the film was wholly engaging. Once I had shrugged off my expectations that lingered after reading the book, the plot is strikingly different but utterly successful. I was not surprised to see Ian McEwan credited as an assistant producer. Craig does magnificently, carrying his character kicking and screaming towards a very challenging roll, vexed by the swaying forces I've noted above. If you do nothing else this weekend, acquaint yourself with this sublime novel.