Reading this was no Atonement : ) (Atonement - Ian McEwan)

Member Name: tinkabubble

Product:	Atonement - Ian McEwan
Date:	22/05/09 (12 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Fantastic novel with many levels from simple romance to deep and thought-provoking issues

Disadvantages: None!

After reading Ian McEwan's 'Saturday', I felt that he possibly wan't an aurthor that I would read much more of, not that 'Saturday' wasn't a good book, but it just wasn't my preferred genre. However, I gave him another chance, and I was pleased because Atonement is an absolutely fantastic novel! In fact, I was amazed at how versatile McEwan is as an aurthor to be able to adapt his style from the narration of a middle aged male doctor in the year 2003, Henry Perowne, to that of young women and men in the 1930s.

Atonement is split into three parts within which focus shifts between the perspectives of the three central characters; Briony Tallis, the eleven year old sister of Cecilia (the second main character) and Robbie, the son of the Tallis's now maid, Mrs Turner. Without wanting to give away too much, crimes are committed and of course the identity of the villain inevitably becomes distorted with disasterous consequences and therefore the need for 'atonement'.

As the introduction of the novel eerily predicts with it's quoting of Austen's 'Northanger Abbey' and "the dreadful nature of the suspicions you have entertained", the novel deals with the dangers of the imagination and the ignorance which missed details and different perceptions can create.

The book also explores ideas of metafiction and plays with the idea of author; who wrote this book? Was it McEwan? Briony? This makes a further comment on illusionment and realisation; as Briony is convinced by her own imagination, so are we the reader sucked in by her imagination also!
Another major theme of the novel is the second World War of which the plight of the central character's is almost a microcosm - deciet and misunderstanding leading to suffering and misery. With Briony's obsession with drama and control and the theatrical, the war is complemented by ideas of villians and heros; McEwan questions what each of these characters is as Briony realises that Villains aren't always accompanied by telling hisses and boos.

Finally, the novel explores a changing world with new technology and even new, empowered women (as represented by Cecilia and her feminism). Such ideas, for example, are aided by intertextuality and the quoting of authors such as Richardson, and Fielding, author of 'Shamela', whose mention (possibly a regretted act of defiance) suggests that Cecilia is a modern, liberated women.

In short then, this is a very interesting novel which explores technical as well as moral ideas. However, there is another level to this novel which is beautifully simple; love. The main relationships within this novel, notabley the romance between Robbie and Cecilia, are deep and unconditional. There are also moments of great sadness, such as Briony's encounter with the French soldier Luc and the destruction of family bonds due to deceit and misjudgement.

Everyone should give this novel a chance because it has so much to offer both emotionally and intellectually; a fantastic piece.

Summary: A book which everyone should at least give a chance