The Cement Garden

After both their father and mother die, a group of four siblings must survive on their own. Told from the perspective of one of the brothers, 14-year-old Jack, we watch the siblings as they navigate difficult feelings and experiences. This was McEwan’s first novel, starting with a bang and dealing with some grim subjects. Even though the contents may be grim and haunting this novel shows the literary prowess of a talented author’s debut.