The Child in Time

Brief Overview

The novel «The Child in Time» by Ian McEwan tells the story of Stephen Lewis, a successful children's author whose life takes a dramatic turn after his three-year-old daughter Kate disappears in a supermarket. This event shatters his marriage with his wife Julia and plunges him into a deep depression. Stephen tries to cope with the loss by exploring themes of time, memory, and childhood. Along the way, he encounters various characters, including his friend Charles Darker, who retreats into a world of childhood, and his wife Thelma, who studies the nature of time. The novel examines how tragedy affects identity and relationships, and how time can heal and alter one's perception of reality.