The time is now. The place, a solitary house in London, overshadowed by grim high-rises. Four children live there; through one long hot summer they are free of parents, of teachers, of any form of control. And buried in the depths of the house is a secret so shocking they dare not talk about it...

Very good book!

RELEASE NOTES:

Phew.......I have at last managed to journal this book which arrived with me last week. There was a problem with the BCID number but I have now sorted this out with schrijvertje and corrected it in the book!!
Thanks for Swapping, will make sure it travels again after reading.
30.09.06 I have changed the status of this title to reserved as I have plans for it after I have read it myself. It will be sent to realbooklover as she has accepted a surprise from me on bookrelay.com as part of 'the Christmas All Year Long Relay.'

This was McEwans first novel written in 1978 and I thought much more disturbing than any of the more recent novels of his that I have read. It has all the ingredients of his other later stories, sex, violence, frustration and fear and like the later ones is a psychological novel. It tells of the social and emotional development of four children after both their parents die, leaving them completley alone! They become isolated from the outside world and this leads them into some weird and difficult situations. The story takes places over just a few months of a very hot summer and is narrated by one of the children.

RELEASE NOTES:

En route to realbooklover as her 'Christmas All Year Long' surprise.

Received this is in a surprise book relay! This is a fantastic book! Unfortunately, I read it a few years ago when I was on a McEwan kick. I'm going to try and relay this again!