Ian McEwan's THE CHILDREN ACT, Another Crowning Achievement

British novelist & screenwriter Ian McEwan has received the Man Booker Prize (Amsterdam) & Oscar for (Atonement.)  He is regarded among England's most distinguished and popular contemporary writers.  His novels all vary but share his masterful & powerful writing.  In THE CHILDREN ACT, we follow Fiona Maye, a High Court judge presiding over family matters; divorces and children's welfares.  Fiona is a complex & brilliant woman.  She maintains an objectivity considering multi-points of view and brings "reasonableness to hopeless situations."  The cases she presides over are fascinating.  I compare her wisdom to King Solomon.  Not surprisingly several  prominent cases involve religious convictions and children's welfare.  In one case, a 17 yr. old has refused a life-saving blood transfusion. Fiona must determine if this is due to his parents' religious beliefs, his own and whether he can assess the consequences. McEwan calls out "doctrines of religious cult" for which children suffer or "become pointless martyr{s}." Fiona is contemplating her cases while simultaneously embroiled in marital conflict; a philandering husband.  She wonders what drives 1 partner to choose "…a younger wife, a richer or less boring husband, a different suburb, fresh sex, fresh love, a new worldview, a nice start before it's too late?  Mere pursuit of pleasure?  Moral kitsch."  I felt the overemotional ending mitigated an otherwise brilliant novel. However, McEwan's insightful views into religion, relationships & morality are commendable. The judgement resides with McEwan and I rule in favor of reading THE CHILDREN ACT.