So the protag is a brain surgeon, right? And the story’s all about him thinking though most every moment of his day. I’m no brain surgeon, but even if I were, I have to wonder if I would think in such a linear fashion. I don’t think so. That’s what bugged me the most about it — it didn’t ring true.

My thoughts are more like Holden Caulfied's, only quicker, more frame-by-frame. Very rarely is my thought life expository. It wasn’t like most first-person narrative fiction in its style–it seemed Mr. McEwan wanted you to feel like you were were the protag, not as if the protag was relaying the story to you. And it was a good story. A fine story. But some kind of connection was missing in it.