Nearly Great (Atonement - Ian McEwan)

Member Name: ickkate

Product:	Atonement - Ian McEwan
Date:	10/09/04 (2213 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: McEwan creates a great atmosphere, The style propels you along, It is an interesting story told in an unusual way

Disadvantages: The language feels a bit over the top, If you put it down the style may mean you find it hard to pick it up, The impression is that McEwan is on a bit of an ego trip

?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 stretching across that lifetime. In 1935 the Tallis family live in a large house that was bought by their entrepreneur grandfather. Cecilee is the eldest daughter who has just returned from studying in Cambridge. Coincidentally, Robbie, the charlady?s son, has been studying there at the same time under the patronage of her elusive father. The two have avoided each other, but on their return an event by the fountain in the garden begins to change their lives. Cecilee?s sister, Briony, is a would-be novelist who spends her life daydreaming and watching those about her. When Briony catches sight of the two figures at the fountain, she begins to piece together a story, which in the context of later events has serious consequences on the rest of their lives. When the crime is committed someone will have to atone.

The first half of the novel deals with the first few fateful days in 1935 where McEwan skilfully creates an atmosphere of foreboding. It?s hard to say exactly how he manages it, but some of it does certainly have something to do with the book?s title. We know something is going to happen and that someone is going to try and make amends. Possibly this sense of dread is partially created by McEwan?s confidence in not being afraid to take things slowly. In the early chapters the style rea
lly complements the feeling of the long hot summer days that it is trying to evoke.

Although the story comes from three different perspectives, the majority of it comes from Briony?s, and McEwan has managed to tap into a child?s perspective exceptionally well. He catches the way children associate things, moving from one thing to another in a fairly fluid way; whilst also managing to pick up the young girl?s preoccupation with love in the stories she creates without making her seem too simplistic. The way in which these stories have the power to totally absorb her reminds me of my imagination as a child where I remember being able to preoccupy myself for hours with my own company. Her concept of time also feels quite authentic with hours seeming like days, and her attempts at writing a short play feeling like a long, drawn out drama. The only part of Briony that made me slightly uncomfortable was the way in which she relished being the centre of attention to such a high degree. Then again, I?m certain this is yet another genuine element of childish behaviour ? possibly just one that I would rather forget was common to me too.

For me the other characters don?t seem to acquire quite as much depth until further into the book, with Cecilee still remaining a bit of an enigma. Characters and events appear more as feelings or sensations rather than as vividly painted characters. For me, this was a bit of a mixed blessing, as although it is an interesting writing style, it did detract from some of the emotional impact. Had Cecilee appeared more clearly defined then the consequences of certain actions might well have felt more powerful.

Some of that does have something to do with the way in which McEwan writes. For me, the style feels gilded ? a better description might be overly wordy. For example:

?Yes. Unable to push her tongue against the word, Briony could only nod, and felt as she did so a sulky thrill of self-annihilating
compliance spreading across her skin and ballooning outwards from it, darkening the room in the throbs.?#

Undoubtedly, this sentence flows wonderfully, and propels you through the pages quickly, but it also makes it quite hard to pick the book up again after a long break. When you tend to feel events rather than be told them, it becomes harder to remind yourself of exactly where you are in the story.

This style also leaves me feeling that McEwan is a little too aware of his own intelligence in his flowery use of English. When reading the book I was always very aware of my position as a reader rather than being totally absorbed within the plot. For me, this self-conscious style of writing is not particularly endearing as it feels like his book is being used to bolster his ego rather than purely to tell a good story in an intriguing way; which is undoubtedly what McEwan comes so close to doing.

Particularly impressive are parts two and three of the book which are set in 1940.One concerns one man?s involvement in the Second World War and focuses on the dirtier elements of warfare, acting as a welcome reminder that war is not all about a group of men united in their goal to defeat the enemy. But, by far the most shocking and absorbing section is the third part where a trainee nurse tends the wounded. These have to be the most graphic descriptions of the consequences of war that I have ever read. At this point any criticisms of McEwan?s prose drift away as it tightens to gut wrenching proportions.

Atonement is a story about taking responsibility for your actions and making reparations even if that means that some come long after the event. A couple of my criticisms could be forgiven in the light of the books final section, which puts the proceedings in context. These criticisms might make you think that I disliked McEwan?s book, but I feel that is far from the truth. I?m purely being harsh in evaluating it because instead of
being a great book this is purely a good one. McEwan does manage to create an atmosphere of dread that is truly palpable and an absorbing story with an interesting structure. I just would be a lot happier if he would let us see his intelligence through the quality of his prose and the depth of his research rather than his linguistic prowess. I?m sure the depth in ?Atonement? would stand up to an interesting second read, but unfortunately this style stops me from making that second journey.

* Chambers Dictionery
# P14, Vintage ISBN 0-099-42979-9, 372pp, £7.99

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