What We Can Know Book Review

What We Can Know Book Review | Ian McEwan’s Dystopian Literary Mystery

Author: Ian McEwan
Genres: Literary Fiction, Dystopian, Science Fiction (“without the science”)
Publication Date: September 16, 2025
Publisher: Jonathan Cape (UK), Alfred A. Knopf (US)
Pages: ~320

Star Rating: ★★★★★ (5/5)

Overview

What We Can Know is Ian McEwan’s ambitious 18th novel, described as “science fiction without the science,” weaving a literary mystery into a dystopian future. Set in 2119—a UK largely submerged by rising tides—the story follows academic Tom Metcalfe on a quest for a lost 2014 poet’s sonnet that may hold deeper truths.

Spoiler-Free Summary

In a flooded, post-apocalyptic Britain, Professor Tom Metcalfe scours archives and libraries for clues to the whereabouts of Francis Blundy’s poem, “A Corona for Vivien.” Believed lost after being read at a private dinner, the poem becomes both a symbol of love and a scholarly obsession. Part two of the novel shifts to Vivien’s perspective in 2014, revealing emotional complexities and a crime that reshapes Metcalfe’s understanding of the past.

Writing Style & Craft

McEwan’s prose remains elegant and psychologically acute—expansive yet intimate. Critics call the novel a “philosophically charged tour de force” that balances mystery, emotional depth, and climatic storytelling.

Characters & Setting

• Tom Metcalfe: A humanities professor and future archivist, obsessive and introspective.
• Vivien: The poet’s wife—her narrative unveils vital secrets.
• The setting: A UK fractured by climate change into irreplaceable islands, blending ruin with academic longing.

Themes

• History & Memory: The fragility—and bias—of what we preserve about the past.
• Human Obsession: How intellectual longing connects across centuries.
• Climate & Survival: A subtle warning—amid ruin, humanity endures through curiosity and love.

Strengths & Weaknesses

Strengths: masterful prose, emotionally resonant structure, rich philosophical scope, inventive genre blending.
Weaknesses: the dual timeline may feel disjointed for some; pacing is contemplative, not pulse-pounding.

Verdict

What We Can Know is a powerful meditation on memory, loss, and how we are bound by the past and planet we share. McEwan constructs a moving and intellectually rigorous tale, affirming his status as a master storyteller. A highly recommended read for literary fiction fans. Final Rating: ★★★★★ (5/5)

Further Reading

For broader perspectives and critical coverage, check out: The New York Times Review, The Guardian Review, and Kirkus Reviews.

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