Dazzling Paperbacks to Read on Vacation

McEwan is a literary pointillist—in control of each keystroke, creating small, precise masterpieces that delight with their linguistic prowess. But as evidenced by this daring thriller—narrated by a fetus with a genius IQ and a quandary that reminds one of a certain Danish prince—McEwan takes his biggest risks with plot, taunting readers with unpredictable, even implausible story lines he orchestrates with dizzying ingenuity.