Ian McEwan once again poses the question of how we can truly know ourselves, let alone another person, but this time he does it with a narrative of Cold War spies and a pretty girl. Sweet Tooth (Nan A. Talese, $26.95) follows the beautiful daughter of a small-town rector from her first love affair at Oxford to the grey, yet heady world of late-Cold War espionage in MI5. Smart but not brilliant, beautiful but not breathtaking, Serena is attracted to men who can teach her something, but ends up being drawn into their games and used as a pawn. McEwan depicts the pressure of the male gaze so accurately it can be difficult to breathe as you watch Serena navigate her way through politics, literature, and friendship. She can trust no one, and you will soon wonder if you can even trust her.
