Our book group choice for July 2015 is The Children Act by Ian McEwan. Fiona Maye is a High Court judge in London presiding over cases in family court. She is fiercely intelligent, well respected, and deeply immersed in the nuances of her particular field of law.
Fiona Maye is a High Court judge in Britain’s Family Division. She is a brilliant and compassionate jurist, but she is also a woman who is struggling with her own personal demons. Her marriage is in a state of decline, and she is haunted by the death of her son, who died of leukemia when he was just a child.
One day, Fiona is assigned a case that will challenge her in ways she never could have imagined. A 17-year-old boy named Adam is refusing a blood transfusion that could save his life. Adam is a Jehovah’s Witness, and his religion forbids blood transfusions. His parents support his decision, but the hospital has appealed to the High Court to force the treatment on him.
Fiona must decide whether to order Adam to have the transfusion. She knows that if she does, she will be violating his religious beliefs. But she also knows that if she doesn’t, he could die.
Fiona visits Adam in the hospital and talks to him about his decision. She learns that Adam is not afraid of death. He believes that he will be reunited with his family in heaven if he dies. Fiona is moved by Adam’s faith, but she is also troubled by it. She doesn’t believe that Adam’s parents are doing what is best for him.
The Children Act is a powerful and moving novel that explores the complex relationship between law, religion, and family. It is a story about the importance of protecting children, even when it is difficult. It is also a story about the power of faith, and the choices that we make when faced with death.
In addition to the central themes of religion and the law, The Children Act also explores other themes, such as marriage, loss, and the meaning of life. The novel is beautifully written, and McEwan’s characters are complex and believable. The Children Act is a thought-provoking and emotionally resonant novel that will stay with you long after you finish reading it.
Themes
The Children Act explores a number of important themes, including:
- The role of religion in medical decision-making
- The rights of children
- The limits of parental authority
- The power of love
- The importance of family
- The struggle to find meaning in life
The novel also explores the different ways in which people cope with difficult choices. Fiona, for example, tries to make a rational decision about Adam’s case, while Adam’s parents rely on their faith. The novel shows that there is no right or wrong answer when it comes to difficult choices, and that each person must find their own way to cope.
Discussion Questions for The Children Act
- It is a slight book, was it substantial enough considering the subject matter?
- How do the intertwining stories explore the conflict between spiritual and secular world views?
- Was the story line of the troubled youth convincing? Or overblown?
- Did you think the marriage was realistic?
- The legal profession is presented in detail, does this precision detract from the literary experience?
- Where did Fiona go wrong?
- The boy is looking for ‘meaning’. Does he find it? Do we?
- Would you recommend the book? To whom? And for what reasons?
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