The Children Act cover art

The Children Act

 Preview
Try Premium Plus free
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection - including bestsellers and new releases.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, celeb exclusives, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
£8.99/month after 30 days. Renews automatically. See here for eligibility.

The Children Act

By: Ian McEwan
Narrated by: Lindsay Duncan
Try Premium Plus free

£8.99/month after 30 days. Renews automatically. See here for eligibility.

Buy Now for £12.99

Buy Now for £12.99

Confirm Purchase
Pay using card ending in
Switch payment method
By completing your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and authorise Audible to charge your designated card or any other card on file. Please see our Privacy Notice, Cookies Notice and Interest-based Ads Notice.
Cancel

About this listen

Fiona Maye is a leading High Court judge, presiding over cases in the family court. She is renowned for her fierce intelligence, exactitude and sensitivity. But her professional success belies private sorrow and domestic strife. There is the lingering regret of her childlessness, and now her marriage of 30 years is in crisis.

At the same time, she is called on to try an urgent case: for religious reasons, a beautiful 17-year-old boy, Adam, is refusing the medical treatment that could save his life, and his devout parents share his wishes. Time is running out. Should the secular court overrule sincerely held faith?

In the course of reaching a decision Fiona visits Adam in hospital - an encounter which stirs long-buried feelings in her and powerful new emotions in the boy. Her judgment has momentous consequences for them both.

©2014 Ian McEwan (P)2014 Random House Audiobooks Fiction Genre Fiction Literary Fiction Political Heartfelt Inspiring Thought-Provoking Tear-jerking

Listeners also enjoyed...

 Kiss and Kin cover art
Olive Kitteridge cover art
Cara Massimina cover art
Change of Heart cover art
My Brilliant Friend cover art
The Earth Will Shake cover art
A Conflict of Interest cover art
The Corrections cover art
The Aviator's Wife cover art
All stars
Most relevant  
Thoroughly enjoyable read. Gripping narrative. Raises interesting dilemmas that challenges your own thinking. Ian McEwan at his best. This book is a must read!

Excellent

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Interesting book beautifully written. The voice used to depict the boy was distracting as it was far too childish and therefore the wrongness of the attraction was more evident.

Interesting

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
This is a super narration by Lindsay Duncan. Set aside the 6 hours to listen in one go! Every word written and then spoken with precision.

Mesmerising

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Ian McEwan's amazing story - beautifully written. Narrator perfect. I have recommended this book to my book group.

One of the best McEwan novels

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
If you like this author already this is the usual superb writing but rather poignant and moving. Beautifully observed as always.

Superb

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
I was never sure where this was going and I don't think he author knew some of the time. Rambling on and almost a series of short stories with no gap in between.

Not sure where this was going!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
I’m a medical student and this book gave me so much insight. I couldn’t stop listening!

loved it!!!!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
We meet, Fiona, a High Court judge, on a night when a sudden gulf opens up in her marriage. Her husband leaves the marital home, to go to his mistress. On the same night she gets a call about an urgent case.

A seventeen-year-old boy, a Jehovah’s Witness, is refusing treatment that necessitates a blood transfusion.

During the case she visits him in hospital. There is a connection between the two & she returns to court with her judgement. Should he have this blood transfusion?

It is an interesting build up to the plot & the conclusion to which we are led.

There was just something, a ‘je ne sais quois,’ missing for me.

The Children Act.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

If you could sum up The Children Act in three words, what would they be?

Fascinating, thought provoking.

What other book might you compare The Children Act to, and why?

Apple Tree Yard, only because it deals with a professional woman, who outwardly has her life under tight control.

Have you listened to any of Lindsay Duncan’s other performances? How does this one compare?

Lindsay Duncan is perfect although when portraying a 17 year old she is a touch patronising.

If you made a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

Who judges the judges?

Any additional comments?

McEwan always educates with his books and this is another example of exceptional writing along with scrupulous research. I think Ian McEwan must be a kind and thoughtful man.

A KIND NARRATIVE

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
This is a complex wonderful read that explores ageing, childlessness, the price of a career, religion and the challenge of playing the piano really well

Breathtaking

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
See more reviews