Ian McEwan

On the hottest day of the summer of 1935, thirteen-year-old Briony Tallis sees her sister Cecilia strip off her clothes and plunge into the fountain in the garden of their country house. Watching her is Robbie Turner, her childhood friend who, like Cecilia, has recently come down from Cambridge.

By the end of that day the lives of all three will have been changed for ever. Robbie and Cecilia will have crossed a boundary they had not even imagined at its start, and will have become victims of the younger imagination. Briony will have witnessed mysteries, and committed a crime for which she will spend the rest of her life trying to atone.
--back cover

Atonement

Includes the shooting script of the film, along with photographs, and complete cast and crew credits (p. 110-116).

The Shooting Script

tara  (she/her)

After that they pushed him into the car, and she spoke hurriedly, before the crying began that she could no longer hold back, and she said that what had happened between them was theirs, only theirs. She meant the library, of course. It was theirs. No one could take it away. ‘It’s our secret,' she called out, in front of them all, just before the slam of the door. ‘I won't say a word,' he said, though Nettle's head had long disappeared from his view. 'Wake me before seven. I promise, you won't hear another word from me.'

The witnesses were guilty too. All day we've witnessed each other's crimes. You killed no one today? But how many did you leave to die?

In 1935 England, thirteen-year-old Briony Tallis witnesses an event involving her sister Cecilia and her childhood friend Robbie Turner, and she becomes the victim of her own imagination, which leads her on a lifelong search for truth and absolution.

A Novel

cyndi petronel

first act was too long, but once the action picks up, it’s a great read with an unlikeable protagonist (which made me almost give up reading! but i didn’t) i think this was still worth the read and it’s a good reflection on how stories are told, and how small and stupid we are

Ianna Chia

Maureen

“A person is, among all else, a material thing, easily torn and not easily mended.”

***

More than Keira Knightley’s iconic emerald green dress in the 2007 film adaptation breaking the internet, trust that this novel is one you wouldn’t want to miss. Atonement is heralded as one of the greatest British novels of the 21st century. 

Through fragmented narratives, we follow an affluent family ravished by the Second World War. The story centers on a pair of star-crossed lovers divided by their social status: Cecilia, the eldest daughter of the wealthy Tallis family, and Robbie — the house cleaner’s son. Despite their mutual intelligence, any sense of foresight was eclipsed by their passion for each other. Conflict arises when the youngest daughter, Briony, tells one small lie on a hot summer’s day. Little did this precocious child know, her actions would unravel a chaos that would change the lives of everyone around. 

Atonement examines the complicated threads between history, memory, and writing. It highlights the power of storytelling and questions its extent of assuaging our guilt. Having watched the film before reading the book, I already had an inkling of what was coming. Joe Wright’s adaptation did a great job of strategically pacing the events and adding a masterful soundtrack to heighten emotions. Still, McEwan’s work is not to be missed as the writing style is enchanting enough to draw you in and ultimately, leave you disquieted at the volatile turn of events.

Patrick Book

** spoiler alert **
           That dude can write a story! I wasn't sure where it was going when this started, but it was quite a journey. I feel like the epilogue/final section was largely unnecessary; I think the ending with Briony writing the letters as so powerful and open ended.

I was into this thematically, and McEwan can make very pretty sentences. I underlined a lot. 

much for any character, which is tough in a novel that concentrates on the power and tragedy of incomplete perspective.

elizabeth

I was into this thematically, and McEwan can make very pretty sentences. I underlined a lot. 

But I didn't feel much for any character, which is tough in a novel that concentrates on the power and tragedy of incomplete perspective.

I studied this novel for English and it was absolutely amazing to analyse. Trying to discover the hidden foreshadowing made this novel ten times better in addition to the writing style 😁

Jessica Hamnett

McEwan has a gift of adding layers of texture to his prose. The first portion, a cloying, dusty feel; the second, clarity against fatigue; the third, then final, a rest, questioning.

At the start of the novel I found it tricky to wade through, like a vat of narrative syrup. But that soon led into a seamless flow, where every word creates a new dimension of understanding, because this novel is not so much about what happens but about interiority; not action but reaction. The small ways that McEwan details a different thought process are remarkable.

"A second thought always followed the first, one mystery bred another. Was everyone else really as alive as she was? ... If the answer was yes, then the world, the social world, was unbearably complicated, with two billion voices..." 36

"There did not have to be a moral. She need only show separate minds, as alive as her own, struggling with the idea that other minds were equally alive." 40

"And darkness was nothing - it was not a substance, it was not a presence, it was no more than an absence of light." 163

"But what was guilt these days? It was cheap. Everyone was guilty, and no one was. No one would be redeemed by a change of evidence, for there weren't enough people, enough paper and pens, enough patience and peace, to take down the statements of all the witnesses and gather in the facts. The witnesses were guilty too." 261

Bell

McEwan has a gift of adding layers of texture to his prose. The first portion, a cloying, dusty feel; the second, clarity against fatigue; the third, then final, a rest, questioning.

At the start of the novel I found it tricky to wade through, like a vat of narrative syrup. But that soon led into a seamless flow, where every word creates a new dimension of understanding, because this novel is not so much about what happens but about interiority; not action but reaction. The small ways that McEwan details a different thought process are remarkable.

"A second thought always followed the first, one mystery bred another. Was everyone else really as alive as she was? ... If the answer was yes, then the world, the social world, was unbearably complicated, with two billion voices..." 36

"There did not have to be a moral. She need only show separate minds, as alive as her own, struggling with the idea that other minds were equally alive." 40

"And darkness was nothing - it was not a substance, it was not a presence, it was no more than an absence of light." 163

"But what was guilt these days? It was cheap. Everyone was guilty, and no one was. No one would be redeemed by a change of evidence, for there weren't enough people, enough paper and pens, enough patience and peace, to take down the statements of all the witnesses and gather in the facts. The witnesses were guilty too." 261

Masterfully written - I loathed Briony, but her writing is beautiful. It's the best version of "sticky summer day when everything changes" I have ever read. 

g.m.

Espiazione

un labirinto di flussi di coscienza e di prospettive narrative. un assoluto capolavoro. il plot twist sul finale e la riflessione di Briony sull'espiazione sono geniali. unica piccola pecca l'eccessiva prolissità dell'autore nel cimentarsi nelle descrizioni (la precisione è a suo modo una strategia per entrare nel corpo dei personaggi e non posso negare che sia stata trattata con un'indiscussa maestria)

Maria Pia Cerbo 

Lila R E

'I'll wait for you. Come back.'

One of the best books I've ever read. I wish I'd read it before seeing the movie now but it's evident throughout the book how well it was adapted to screen so I'm not too annoyed - but if you are seeing this and you haven't read/seen either yet, you have to read the book! Ian McEwan you are a mastermind.

On a summer day in 1935, thirteen-year-old Briony Tallis witnesses a moment's flirtation between her older sister, Cecilia, and Robbie Turner, the son of a servant. But Briony's incomplete grasp of adult motives and her precocious imagination bring about a crime that will change all their lives, a crime whose repercussions Atonement follows through the chaos and carnage of World War II and into the close of the twentieth century.
(back cover)

taryn

This has been sitting on my shelf for ages and I think because I have watched the film previously I've been putting it off knowing how the twist ending. Controversial for some, but I think it's heartbreaking and brilliant. The book still lived up to my appreciation for the film adaptation. Joe Wright and Keira Knightley are one of my fave director/actor duos (P&P you'll always be my fave).

Michael Springer

Wow, this was definitely one of my best reads this year. I'll be writing a review of this one, and soon.

livs

it wasnt bad it was really good, but i think i need to reread it when im older to like it more because the war part and most of brionys life really didnt spike intrest in me and i just briefly read through those pages because i wanted to get to the end.

also i saw the movie before this so i knew the ending.

Luke Beck

Ana Paula

This book is divided on three parts and I liked them on different levels so here's the breakdown:
The first part took me soo long to get through, I feel like it could've been much shorter than it was and maybe then I would have liked it better. So my rating for this part is 2 stars.
Then we have the second part, which is much shorter (maybe 50 pages shorter?) and more interesting, however it still was pretty repetitive so 3 stars
At last: the third part, where everything comes together and by far the most interesting to read = 4stars.

To be fair, I added all my stars for each part (total being 9)and divided them by the number of parts in the book. Which is why I'm rating the book as whole in 3 stars (though before I finished and rated the last part it would've been 2,6 stars)

This took a while to read. I'm generally not that good with slow-paced books, but here it's just just full of nothing sometimes. This book has just three moods: confusion, nothing and World War . 

Inga Kühn 

andrea

Have you ever read a book that annoyed and bored you at the very first few chapters but completely astounded you at the end? That was exactly the case here in Atonement by Ian McEwan.

Reading the first part took so much of my focus and concentration. it annoyed me quite a bit, because reading is supposed to be good and relaxing, and I hate it when it sort of becomes burdensome to me. Only the thought the the first part of the story played the most crucial role to make the book a whole kept me motivated to press onwards. At the end, though, I adored the book, judging it as a whole, and found it very satisfying to my reader needs.

I found the plot unique and captivating. I have been wanting to read this for as long as I can remember. It was a refreshing change from the modern day settings of the books I have been reading a lot lately. The early 1990's, a mystery, forbidden love, all this drew me like a moth to a flame. Plus everyone has been singing praises for McEwan's work. Okay, maybe the movie trailer looked good, too. And maybe I should mention my not-so-secret obsession with James McAvoy. All through out the book, I saw the movie cast as the characters, Keira Knightley as Cecilia, Saoirse Ronan as Briony and James (I like to think we're on first name basis already) as Robbie. That helped a lot, too, although I usually dont do it. 

The details were simply brilliant in its telling. The characters were one of the best ones I've ever read. Briony Tallis was very vividly illustrated. She was young and innocent, but not completely free of malice. As a writer myself, I felt for her. The passion, the urgency and frustration of writing a story. Cecilia and Robbie were also amazing. I love how naive they were at first, how they never noticed how they felt for each other until suddenly, in a moment by the fountain, they did. All the characters actions, thoughts and decisions were so incredibly unaware, flawed and human.

The human nature, guilt, betrayal and forgiveness were explored very well. The book has so much substance and depth to it. Very well written, plotted out, organized and researched, not to mention the wicked plot twist at the end. I certainly am looking forward to reading more of Ian McEwan's work.

Norma gruden

“A person is, among all else, a material thing, easily torn and not easily mended.”

Lauren Wightman

So last time I read this I gave it four stars but honestly it gets me every time.

Elinor

this is a sort of book that i think i could have read in english in high school and had socratic discussions about and analyzed to bits and then talked about the last chapter with my classmates. like im imagining my old english class of 8 people reading this book. its good. the movie is amazing too and a really good adaptation but the book really gives you insight into the narrators uncertainty and justifies her childishness.

Ethan Hill

Jaymie Lemke

Slow start, ok book. I know others loved it. I did not.

Atonement

Reviews

Highlights