Black Dogs

I’m reading Black Dogs from Ian McEwan, trying to proceed slow, be attentive; his prose deserves it. Still, I’m hurrying toward the scene in which the dogs will appear – not only the title, also the storyteller has promised me it will be the novel’s crucial scene. On page 60 the author teases me, makes me believe it’s coming up right now, yet he holds back. I read on, and on, getting more excited, reading faster, trying to slow down my mind; the psychological insights deserve it. When I finally reach the scene taking place in the gorge, the black dogs closing in, on page 144,  disappointment sets in. Is it a bad scene? Not at all – I’m just sad because there’s only thirty pages left of this novel.