THE COMFORT OF STRANGERS (Ian McEwan) - July 20/09

It's becoming increasingly apparent that Ian McEwan is as hit and miss an author as one could envision. The Comfort of Strangers falls under the "miss" category, as McEwan bogs the narrative down with egregiously descriptive passages that cause the reader to glaze over certain passages. This is hardly as problematic as the increasingly ludicrous twists within the storyline; after Colin is punched in the gut by Robert, why would the couple stay there? And why the heck would they return days later?? The violent conclusion doesn't make a lick of sense, and it's ultimately impossible not to wonder just what McEwan was smoking when he wrote this. *1/2 out of ****