Atonement

By: Ian McEwan

Narrated by: Jill Tanner

National Book Critics Circle, Fiction, 2003

In Atonement, three children lose their innocence, as the sweltering summer heat bears down on the hottest day in 1935, and their lives are changed forever. Cecilia Tallis is of England's priviledged class; Robbie Turner is the housekeeper's son. In their moment of intimate surrender, they are interrupted by Cecilia's hyperimaginative and scheming 13-year-old sister, Briony. And as chaos consumes the family, Briony commits a crime, the guilt of which she shall carry throughout her life.

©2001 Ian McEwan (P)2003 Recorded Books

Critic reviews

• Book Sense Book of the Year Award Finalist, Adult Fiction, 2003

"A tour de force. Every bit as affecting as it is gripping." (The New York Times)
"Enthralling...With psychological insight and a command of sensual and historical detail, Mr. McEwan creates an absorbing fictional world." (The Wall Street Journal)
"A beautiful and majestic fictional panorama." (The New Yorker)

Beautiful book

This book was beautifully written. The reader is one of my favorites on audible (she was one of the readers of "The Thirteenth Tale", my favorite audible book to date). The story was long, bittersweet, slow - something to savor over a cup of tea with a warm blanket, or sit on the porch with a cup of coffee. I can't wait to see the movie!

A long read

I enjoyed the story but just felt it so long for what it had to say. There was too much running on about the texture of the surrounding but not enough insight in to character development or what attonement really ment to the main character at a more deep understanding. I was disappointed.

Briony oh briony...

This book totally grew on me. Once the characters were fully developed the real story could be told - and it was superb. Be patient with the character development - it's worth it, to totally immerse yourself in the situations at hand in the book. Loved it. Have avoided this author in the past but would totally go for it based on what I experienced with his writing this time.

Great story but gets a li'l slow...

The story is really well put but I do agree with many other reviewers that it digresses in the 2nd part with the elaborate war descriptions but I guess it was important for the plot. Other than that, well read and a unique plot.

A love story cut short by a lie

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. An easy and fascinating read with some unexpected twists at the end. A captivating story about young lovers stopped from pursuing their romance by a lie by a younger sister. Takes place mostly in England with a small but significant part in France as troops retreat to Dunkirk. Vivid imagery of the retreat and of casualties evacuated to a hospital. Story told from the point of view of the younger sister.