50 pages • 1 hour read
Ian McEwanSweet Tooth
Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 2012A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Before You Read
Super Short Summary
In Ian McEwan's 2012 novel, Sweet Tooth, set in the 1970s, Serena Frome becomes embroiled with MI5 and the literary world, balancing power and navigating deceit as she is recruited to covertly support politically suitable writers. As her relationship with writer Thomas Haley develops, Serena struggles with the moral complexities and emotional turmoil of her secret professional life. Topics include manipulation and deceit.
Reviews & Readership
Review Roundup
Reviews of Sweet Tooth by Ian McEwan highlight its clever blend of espionage and literary fiction. Positives include McEwan's masterful storytelling and complex character development. However, some critics find the narrative pacing slow and the romantic subplot unconvincing. Overall, it’s praised for its wit and engaging prose, despite occasional structural flaws.
Who Should Read Sweet Tooth?
Readers who relish literary espionage and intricate narrations in a Cold War setting will enjoy Sweet Tooth by Ian McEwan. Fans of John le Carré’s Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy and Julian Barnes’ The Sense of an Ending will find the novel’s blend of suspense and introspection particularly appealing.