Glad you liked On Chesil Beach! That's really the only book of McEwan's that I've appreciated because it seems like the only one in which he gets the tone right--he's able to introduce that hint of comedy that you mention without making it feel mean-spirited, like he's poking fun athis characters or (even worse!) his readers. Obviously he's quite popular though, so plenty of people don't share my opinion...

I thought of you as I was writing up this little review of Bluets. It seems like the sort of thing you might like, and I'd live to know what you think if you try it. It's very short (shorter even than the McEwan, I think) so you could breeze right through.

But bored by Maurice? That's just sacrilege!