We are each bound by our own limitations, whether broad or constricted. The narrator of this murder mystery is foetus two weeks from birth and escape from the womb. I hesitate to call it a mystery as from almost the outset of the novel, there is no mystery about who will be murdered, by whom and in what manner. Motive, as with most murders, is money and involves sex - fairly lurid sex scenes. The plotting of the murder also is accompanied by pretty excessive intake of wine. This last disturbed me as knowledge of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome has been ever present in my career. While my personal concerns are unchanged, I was not put off from completing this fascinating read that is full of foetal commentary, dark humour and irony due to the my own constraints of a book club recommendation. I would like to suggest that giving a foetus a voice beyond that of an unknowing unborn child may be a bit of unintended philosophy about our relationship with the child within the womb.
The narrator, is a foetus whose knowledge has been gleaned from hearing conversations between his mother, Trudy and her lover, Claude. Their conversations are usually about the murder of John, Trudy’s husband and the father of the foetus, leaving poor foetus in a limbo of a future outside of the womb. The foetus, mostly ignored, has become very wise, if not a bit grumpy, to the ways of the world in a quite convoluted fashion, listening to podcasts about wine, music and world affairs in the bits and pieces of Trudy’s choice, giving him an educated but fractured view of the world.
As always, book group discussion yesterday added nuances about this story as we each come from different backgrounds of education and experience. I, for one, had not recognized the parallels to William Shakespeares Hamlet. Regardless I enjoyed Nutshell and Ian McEwen’s ability to have me laughing out loud in a story that I easily could have set aside but am glad that I did not. This will not be everyone’s cup of tea - or glass of wine. For me, Nutshell by Ian McEwen will be on my list of books to re-read.
“Oh God, I could be bounded in a nutshell and count myself
a King of infinite space—were it not for bad dreams.”
~ William Shakespeare, Hamlet
Title: Nutshell
Author: Ian McEwen
Copyright: 2016
Format: Print and electronic
Hardcover - ISBN-978-0-345-81240-7
eBook - ISBN-978-0-345-81242-1
Type: Novel
Publisher: Alfred A. Knopf Canada
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