*/
The Children Act
By Ian McEwan
Publisher: Vintage
RRP: £7.99
Format: Paperback
EAN: 9780099599630
Publication date: 09/04/15
The central character in this fictional work, Fiona Maye, is a High Court family judge. Whilst she is revered by her peers and commands a courtroom with ease, her personal life is beginning to fall apart. After 30 years of a childless marriage, her husband announces in a calm manner that their virtually dormant sex life has driven him to begin an affair with a young statistician. Fiona decides to change the locks to their family home and the author comments: “A professional life spent above the affray, advising then judging, loftily commenting in private on the viciousness and absurdity of divorcing couples, and now she was down there with the rest, swimming with the desolate tide.”
The novel concentrates largely on her professional life, her marital problems being the sub-plot. Amongst a busy list at court, she is required to make a decision in one case regarding a blood transfusion for a boy of 17 years of age, Adam, who is a Jehovah’s Witness. The efficiency with which she timetables the matter for a contested hearing after a brief initial telephone call from her clerk would impress any family law practitioner. That is not to say that Ian McEwan portrays family work in a sensationalist fashion. To the contrary, the book is well researched, the author having marshalled a Court of Appeal judge.
Rather unconventionally, Fiona decides to visit Adam at the hospital before delivering her judgment. Though the likeliness of any family judge meeting directly with the subject child is questionable, it is not unbelievable in the context of her personality, hectic day, difficulty of the decision, age of the child, tight timeframe and the backdrop of marital discord.
What follows is an intriguing plot of a young man who becomes attached to a woman, her having made a decision about his life. Fiona as a character is well constructed. She has many qualities we as legal practitioners would identify with and idealise both in ourselves and in the judiciary: authoritative, clear, balanced, efficient and objective. And yet her relationship with Adam, though within the boundaries of what is appropriate, leaves the reader to question her state of mind in personal matters.
It is both reassuring and refreshing when a profession is reflected with realistic accuracy and The Children Act certainly delivers that.
Reviewer: Raffia Arshad, St Mary’s Chambers, Nottingham
Publisher: Vintage
RRP: £7.99
Format: Paperback
EAN: 9780099599630
Publication date: 09/04/15
The central character in this fictional work, Fiona Maye, is a High Court family judge. Whilst she is revered by her peers and commands a courtroom with ease, her personal life is beginning to fall apart. After 30 years of a childless marriage, her husband announces in a calm manner that their virtually dormant sex life has driven him to begin an affair with a young statistician. Fiona decides to change the locks to their family home and the author comments: “A professional life spent above the affray, advising then judging, loftily commenting in private on the viciousness and absurdity of divorcing couples, and now she was down there with the rest, swimming with the desolate tide.”
The novel concentrates largely on her professional life, her marital problems being the sub-plot. Amongst a busy list at court, she is required to make a decision in one case regarding a blood transfusion for a boy of 17 years of age, Adam, who is a Jehovah’s Witness. The efficiency with which she timetables the matter for a contested hearing after a brief initial telephone call from her clerk would impress any family law practitioner. That is not to say that Ian McEwan portrays family work in a sensationalist fashion. To the contrary, the book is well researched, the author having marshalled a Court of Appeal judge.
Rather unconventionally, Fiona decides to visit Adam at the hospital before delivering her judgment. Though the likeliness of any family judge meeting directly with the subject child is questionable, it is not unbelievable in the context of her personality, hectic day, difficulty of the decision, age of the child, tight timeframe and the backdrop of marital discord.
What follows is an intriguing plot of a young man who becomes attached to a woman, her having made a decision about his life. Fiona as a character is well constructed. She has many qualities we as legal practitioners would identify with and idealise both in ourselves and in the judiciary: authoritative, clear, balanced, efficient and objective. And yet her relationship with Adam, though within the boundaries of what is appropriate, leaves the reader to question her state of mind in personal matters.
It is both reassuring and refreshing when a profession is reflected with realistic accuracy and The Children Act certainly delivers that.
Reviewer: Raffia Arshad, St Mary’s Chambers, Nottingham
The Children Act
By Ian McEwan
The Bar Council faces both opportunities and challenges on our key areas this year
Exclusive Q&A with Henry Dannell
Casey Randall of AlphaBiolabs discusses the benefits of Non-invasive Prenatal Paternity testing for the timely resolution of family disputes
By Louise Crush of Westgate Wealth Management
Have you considered being a barrister in the British Army? Here’s an insight into a career in Army Legal Services
Rachel Davenport, Co-founder and Director at AlphaBiolabs, discusses the role that drug, alcohol and DNA testing can play in non-court dispute resolution (NCDR)
What's it like being a legal trainee at the Crown Prosecution Service? Amy describes what drew her to the role, the skills required and a typical day in the life
Barbara Mills KC wants to raise the profile of the family Bar. She also wants to improve wellbeing and enhance equality, diversity and inclusion in the profession. She talks to Joshua Rozenberg KC (hon) about her plans for the year ahead
Are Birmingham’s Intensive Supervision Courts successfully turning women offenders’ lives around? Chloe Ashley talks to District Judge Michelle Smith
Professor Dominic Regan and Seán Jones KC identify good value bottles across the price spectrum – from festive fizz to reliable reds
Reviews by Daniel Barnett