Amsterdam

Book Review

«Amsterdam» is a work by British author Ian McEwan, published in 1998, which won the Booker Prize that same year. The book is a witty and dark tale of moral dilemmas, betrayal, and the consequences of the choices made by its characters. The plot revolves around two friends—Clive Linley, a renowned composer, and Vernon Halliday, a newspaper editor—who, after the funeral of their mutual lover Molly Lane, make a pact that radically changes their lives. McEwan writes elegantly about complex interpersonal relationships, ethics, and the choice between personal happiness and moral responsibility. «Amsterdam» is characterized by a masterful blend of psychological depth and tension, as well as an unexpected ending that prompts a reevaluation of the preceding events in the book.