Amsterdam

Brief Overview

The novel «Amsterdam» by Ian McEwan tells the story of two old friends, Clive Linley and Vernon Halliday, who meet at the funeral of their mutual former lover, Molly Lane. Clive is a successful composer, while Vernon is a newspaper editor. After the funeral, they make a pact that if one of them ends up in a state where they can no longer care for themselves, the other will help them die. Soon, Vernon comes into possession of compromising photographs of a well-known politician, Julian Garmony, also a former lover of Molly, and decides to publish them despite Clive's objections. This decision leads to devastating consequences for both friends. Clive, absorbed in his work on a symphony, faces a moral dilemma when he witnesses an assault but chooses not to intervene. Ultimately, their friendship unravels, and both men find themselves in Amsterdam, where their pact leads to a tragic conclusion.