The Cement Garden

McEwan is an author I force myself to try because 1, some people I like and whose opinion I respect really enjoy him, 2, there was Atonement.
However, I see myself physically shying away from him. Don't like the characters, think the setting is unlikely and the people unrealistic. This is a good example. there was nice tension at the end, but three good pages ddin't helpme overcome the feeling everything else was oh so phony.