Había leído críticas estupendas de este libro, pero la verdad es que no me hacía falta que me convencieran para leer otra obra del genial Ian McEwan, que tanto me gustó con su maravillosa Expiación . Y como era Predictably, Chesil Beach does not disappoint at all. McEwan's prose, combined with his prodigious ability to create characters and scenarios make this work again in a reading that is enjoyable and it leaves a taste more durable. I must confess that deluded me, I began to read in English (in my defense I will say that I more than half). It is in that language where their beauty is more evident, although to read need to have a level of English rather than high. Descriptions of scenarios, especially the English countryside, and the characters themselves, with a varied vocabulary and rich in nuances, make it very difficult to read in the original language. So consciente de mis limitaciones y de que me estaba perdiendo detalles que ni el diccionario lograba aclararme, decidí optar por la traducción al español, que me ha parecido bastante buena. Todo lo contrario que el libro de María Antonieta reseñado en este blog con anterioridad, cuya traducción deja mucho que desear, con errores gramaticales y de sintaxis bastante graves desde mi punto de vista. Pero volvamos a Chesil Beach . Los protagonistas de esta historia son Florence y Edward, una pareja de recién casados a principios de los años 60, que se enfrentan a su noche de bodas desde puntos de partida muy distintos. Así mientras Edward se muestra sobre todo preocupado por estar a la altura de lo que se espera him and "comply" and longs to make love to his beautiful wife of a passionate, Florence shown literally terrified of what is to come, it has never been with a man and full of fear and apprehension about the imminent sex. Florence is only the result of sex education altogether avoided, and a vision of sex dirty and full of prejudices that have not prepared at all for his first relationship with a man. Edward loves, but feels real panic to sexual intercourse:
"In moments of optimism was convinced that only suffered a heightened form of apprehension that would end up happening. No doubt think of Edward's testicles, hanging below his penis swollen, another horrible word that it had the effect of the upper lip puckering, and the idea of \u200b\u200banyone touching her "down there", even if a loved one, was so repugnant as , say, an eye surgery in Florence (...) it was suspected that an abnormality deep that she had always been different and that the end was about to be discovered. I thought the problem was bigger, deeper than the mere physical disgust, his whole being revolted against the prospect of entanglement and flesh were about to rape her composure and essential happiness. Plainly did not want the "enter" or "penetrated." Sex with Edward would be the height of pleasure, but it was the price to be paid. "
The novel is structured through flash-backs that gives us to know the past of both actors, how they met, and how was the environment surrounding each. Florence comes from a wealthy family and is a violin virtuoso who, despite being a girl insecure in many ways, is surrounded by an aura of special security every time he touches his beloved instrument. Instead Edward belongs to a class family rather low, and reared with a mother psychologically ill and a number of shortcomings that Florence can not even imagine. Both young came a day by chance in Oxford, fall in love, start dating and eventually married. The climax of the story is the wedding night in a hotel on Chesil Beach, which will be full of difficulties and have unexpected end for both. In this novel
McEwan builds a true and accurate portrait of a youth who has not yet awakened to the sexual revolution of the sixties and suffering in their own flesh the consequences of sex education where subjects were taboo and relations between the sexes were full of prejudice and misunderstanding. It's amazing ability to penetrate the psychology of the two protagonists, which McEwan nude for the reader through their words so that reach as transparent as unhappy in their roles. The author manages to make a wedding night in a scenario where the worst fears take the form of both players, where every small step you take toward that sex becomes imminent momentous and terrible that seems doomed them both to a tragic end. The thoughts of both are revealed in a way so clear that we feel the anguish of Florence and Edward's fears with extraordinary vividness.
Atonement is, in my view, a great novel, by many factors. That is why, whether or not to know McEwan, I recommend you do not fail to read and maravillaros with how to tell this writer. Be enjoyed from beginning to end.
More reviews of works by Ian McEwan: - Atonement
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