Ian McEwan, the writer famed for books such as Atonement and Enduring Love that you probably had to read at school, has just released his latest novel Nutshell – narrated by a foetus Hamlet.
Yes you heard that right – the narrator is a foetus in the womb, based on Hamlet, who comments on modern life.
I've read 4 reviews of the new McEwan & still can't reconcile myself to the phrase "Hamlet retold from the perspective of a foetus".
— Sarah Ditum (@sarahditum) August 30, 2016
The fetus is Hamlet. I repeat, the fetus is Hamlet. pic.twitter.com/gwXFYQQLMw
— Ana Mardoll (@AnaMardoll) September 1, 2016
In particular, this strangely clever foetus is opposed to trigger warnings and the shutting down of free speech on students campuses.
It a bit of a weird thing for a foetus to be preoccupied with.
Ian McEwan's written a novel about a foetus who hates trigger warnings, this is not a drill. pic.twitter.com/Nr5MBICmVF
— Dawn Foster (@DawnHFoster) September 2, 2016
is ian mcewan actually writing a book FROM THE POINT OF VIEW OF A FOETUS THAT HATES TRIGGER WARNINGS
— marilyn garbâge (@mama_tuna) August 29, 2016
The novel garnered quite the reaction on Twitter.
All these parodies and diatribes against safe spaces from people who have never known anything but safety… pic.twitter.com/oeIKra3QR4
— Daniel José Older (@djolder) September 2, 2016
@DawnHFoster I have had some bad days but I've never had a "wrote a novel about a foetus which hates trigger warnings" bad day
— Eben Marks (@EbenMarks) September 2, 2016
People made fun of the fact that the foetus seems to pretty much agree always with the author’s own views.
Props to Ian McEwan for achieving objectivity by inventing a foetus who always agrees with him
— Alex Bertram-Powell (@AlexBPArt) September 1, 2016
Ian McEwan wanders round with foetus puppet, giving his opinions in a high squeaky voice. 'It's not me saying it, it's the foetus!' he cries
— Richard Blandford (@rblandford) September 1, 2016
There is one upside though…
Iâve hated Ian McEwan ever since we had to read Enduring Love for A-Level so itâs nice at least to be ever more sure that I was right.
— Marika Rose (@MarikaRose) September 2, 2016
