Lessons by Ian McEwan is a sprawling saga of one man’s life, delving into each important era of his existence. This novel begins in the 1940s and delivers the reader all the way to 2021. 

Roland begins as a child who goes to boarding school at age 11, there he begins piano lessons with Ms. Miriam Cornell. There is instantly a sexual tension, even Roland can tell at his tender age. He is transferred to another piano instructor, but Ms. Cornell reinserts herself into his life for several years. What follows in piecemeal reflections throughout the novel is an illicit affair and disturbing grooming of Roland. 

As we see, but takes Roland much longer to realize, this trauma of grooming impacts all of his close relationships. McEwan shows us the pain of failed marriage, raising a son alone, and experiencing the joy and grief of finding and losing love at an older age. 

My criticism of Lessons is that we feel little connection to any character until a quarter into the novel, quite a significant chunk of this 500 page book. However, that time is spent building a critical subplot- the impact of WWII on everyone in its generation and those that follow. As a child and adult tied to both England and Germany, this context was important. 

Overall, this is a literary biography of sorts. I felt deeply for Roland as the story went by and now I will miss him. Additionally the narration of the audiobook was fantastic, adding to the richness of this beautiful novel. Thank you to NetGalley and RB Media for the ALC in exchange for my honest review.