by Ian McEwan
First published 2010
June and Bernard arrive in France for their 1946 honeymoon, filled with idealism and love for each other. They expect an idyllic trip together as newlyweds. Instead, they witness something in France that changes everything between them. The event drives them apart permanently. Forty years later, their son-in-law investigates what happened during those early days of their marriage. He traces their estrangement back to that specific moment on their honeymoon. The experience was so disturbing that it ended their relationship forever. His search reveals the darkness that tore the couple apart and shaped the rest of their lives.
Genres: literary-fiction, historical-fiction, 20th-century, mystery, contemporary, family-drama
Vibes: dark, emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, unreliable-narrator
Setting: France
Period: 1946, Forty Years Later
176 pages · Kindle Edition · Vintage Digital