723. The Comfort of Strangers

The Comfort of Strangers
Ian McEwan
1981
Around 130 pages

I believe sexuality has only been handled in a healthy way a handful of times on the List. Which tells me that humanity is full of freaks. Ian McEwan is such a compelling writer, with such disturbing premises, that it is impossible to not stop and stare.

Mary and Colin are a British couple on holiday in a city, trying to give their dying relationship mouth to mouth. They meet Robert, a native with some, um, colorful stories, and his wife Caroline. They are creepy as hell, but Mary and Colin haven't watched enough horror movies to go running for the hills.

As a huge fan of horror movies, I was pleased with this one. It plays out like a movie with the slow build, and I was unsurprised that it was taken to the big screen. Still not the best McEwan is capable of, but an intriguing and unsettling entry nonetheless.

RATING: ****-

Interesting Facts:

Adapted into 1990 film starring Christopher Walken.

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