disappointed. while the credits on the jacket testify to McEwan's deft use of the tongue, it took until page 150 before he gave us a glimpse of the title's import. and while the finale is thrilling and fast-paced, it's largely predictable. it's intriguing that our protagonist's name is conflated with Einstein's, and his project has something to do with the implications. i'll await the judgment of physicists, not for the efficacy, but any contact with reality. if there is light at the end of the tunnel, please don't shroud it. apart from raised expectations, it may be a good novel.