~~~Prelude~~~ I finished reading 'Atonement' by Ian McEwan at around 1.30 in the morning, because I simply could not put it down before I'd got to the end. After a slow, but steady, start the novel jolts you into places you are not expecting (unless you've seen the film or read the reviews, which I hadn't) and draws you into the characters to such a degree that you have to know how it all ends. ~~~Intro to the Book/Synopsis~~~ 'Atonement' has been described as a 'literary novel', which I take to mean both that it contains references to famous literary works (which is something only the very well-read will get something out of), but also that it uses ...  Read the complete review

?Atonement ? the act of atoning; expiation; reparations; reconciliation?* ?Atonement? is Ian McEwan?s critically acclaimed eighth novel which was short-listed for the Booker Prize in 2001. Many critics have said that it is far superior to his Booker winning ?Amsterdam?, but as I haven?t read any of McEwan?s previous work I can?t comment. The only reason I came to read this book was due to favourable review on this website, and on the whole I would also be left recommending this book ? only one real criticism holds me back. The events of the book take place over a small number of significant days in 1935, 1940 and 1999 with their significance ...  Read the complete review

What can one say about Ian McEwan that won't be cliched or, worse, seen as Jill-bashing? We can roll out cliches till the sheep come home (or was it the cows? Englishmen and -women, please come to my rescue... enlighten me!): "McEwan one either loves or hates"; "McEwan's writing is lush, metaphoric"; "McEwan's cruel streak shines again"... Yet cliches, as I so love to repeat in my every other op - and as adapted from Kurt Andersen's novel 'Turn of the Century' (which reminds me, I should write an op on that excellent book one day) -, very often are true. That is why they become cliches. And truly, truly, ...  Read the complete review

The terms masterpiece, classic, work of genius are so overused these days that they have become little more than anther tool in the armoury of the publisher’s PR department. We simply can’t tell what the long term effect of a book will be, whether it will still be important decades or centuries from now. Bearing this in mind if I had to make a guess then I think ‘Atonement’ stands a very good chance of passing the test of time and becoming worthy of being classified as a classic for the new millennium. THE STORY Briony Tallis is a young girl on the threshold of becoming a teenager. Three distinct parts of her life are ...  Read the complete review

First Published in 2001, Atonement is on of McEwan's best selling novels winning unanimous praise by the worlds literature critics, but perhaps is also known for splitting the public opinion. Since its best selling status, it has officially been revered as a British Classic slotting into line with titles from Bronte, Conan Doyle and Eliot. It has also been made into an award winning film starring Kiera Knightly and James McAvoy. As a keen reader, one cannot help but be sucked in by all of this success and hype. But to be honest, I for one am always sceptical of hype. Nonetheless, I had to put my dubiousness to one side and give this novel a go. The question is, should ...  Read the complete review