Atonement by Ian McEwan
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Book Reviews of Atonement
Book Review: Thoughtful piece of Literature
Summary: 4 Stars
I personally enjoyed the book, I was told, from the people who saw the movie, that the book would be just as bad, though it wasn't. Mcewan shows a powerful and new perspective not just on WW II but its affect on the people. Many would hate Briony, a very complicated and confused girl in Ian's story, who has a passion for writing. She was the person who betrayed her sister and her lover, in a irrational and thoughtless way. In my opinion, she was too eager to write an amazing play that would lead her to the center of attention, and give her the apperence of maturity. In her haste she overlooked the after affects that would come from simply assuming and choosing the victims of a crime, and inso doing changing the lives of so many people. For me it was easier to relate to Briony and her complicated emotions, since we share a similar age, and it was easier for me to look beyond her haste actions and into the deeper level of emotion that Ian probably wanted to condemn and be reflected on.Book Review: Simmering
Summary: 4 Stars
There's no doubt that Ian McEwan is a terrific writer. His prose...the interplay between the intricate thoughts of the characters and the descriptions of the settings are beautiful..I loved that line about Cecilia's dress worshiping the curves of her body. Those war scenes..like a piece of a Heironymous Bosch painting. So many other great bits too, but to me, I find it part of the English writing tradition to have a stew of simmering passion, often detached over-wrought and intellectualized, just below the surface which carefully never spills over. Words never said. Somber looks exchanged. Clipped cryptic meanings. Me, I happen to like things a bit more messy and expansive. Still, I enjoy Ian McEwan's measured pleasure.Book Review: Much better than the movie
Summary: 4 Stars
Atonement is a beautifully written novel that operates on many levels. First and foremost it does NOT operate well as an action novel. The action is very slow and staged. If you like a good action-packed book, this one is not for you. However, if you like a nuanced novel with psychological insights and intrigue, you will probably really appreciate Atonement. It is written in four very different and distinct styles which depend on the narrator and time period portrayed. Sometimes the descriptive passages get a bit overwrought, especially in the first (and longest) section, which is written in the words of a precocious teen aged girl. These passages make the first part drag a bit, but they are not intolerable.Book Review: works better as a movie
Summary: 4 Stars
I have read many of Ian McEwan's books, and enjoyed them all. Amsterdam and Saturday are both riveting character studies. However, I was a bit disappointed in Atonement the book, although I truly enjoyed Atonement the movie. For instance, not much happens in the beginning of Atonement, which opens with a long description of a wealthy English home. But in the movie we see all of the things that are described in such detail in the book. Once the story gets started, though, the tale is even more moving than Amsterdam or Saturday. I do recommend Atonement, especially for readers who enjoy books that bring to life the atmosphere of a period.Book Review: Read the Book First... but the movie is good! :)
Summary: 4 Stars
I have yet to see the movie, but I wanted to read the book first. I liked how the book was divided into parts that had relation to the story, but the reader didn't really know how or why until later. I do wish there would have been more elaboration on the story of Cecila and Robbie and their reunion and their life together; however, I know the major theme in the book was about Briony's perspective. Overall, great description and characterization... and it reflects the true naivete of Briony as a child and her maturation through experience with life and people.