Atonement - Ian McEwan

"A person is, among all else, a material thing, easily torn and not easily mended."

As far as I am concerned Atonement is up there with Birdsong. It is absolutely one of the best things I have

ever read.

I have a rule that I don’t read books if I have already seen the movie adaptation. I don’t much see the point in that. I like to be surprised by my books.

This did surprise me. Greatly. Firstly because the movie adaptation is pretty close to the original book. Secondly because this didn’t take away from my enjoyment of it at all.

Cecilia and Robbie have known each other since they were children. They have lived on the same grounds and played together their whole lives. Cecilia, who was born into a family of privilege, lives in the mansion house at the top of the grounds. Robbie, whose mother is the maid, lives in a cottage at the bottom.

Their differences were never an issue until they went to university, where they suddenly took to ignoring each other. This story begins when they return to their homes after three years in Cambridge. Things are different between them and neither one of them knows why.

Robbie realises it before Cecilia does. He writes her a letter and gives it to her younger sister Briony to deliver. But Briony is nosy. She reads the letter and allows her imagination, which is already full of misconceptions and misunderstandings about her sister and the maid’s son, run away with her. The consequences permanently alter all of their lives.

I don’t want to tell you too much else about what happens. You should read this book. I couldn’t put it down. The characters are vivid and lovable, the story is enthralling and full of twists. In the beginning you will certainly think that this is just a love story, but be warned that it definitely is not. It seems that way for a lot of the book, but by the end that you will see that there are lessons to be learned from it. The last chapter will smash everything you thought to pieces. Especially if you haven’t seen the film.

As it goes the film is a pretty good adaptation of this book. It seems to be scene for scene correct, as far as I can remember, with the exception of the last scene and the last chapter. In the film Briony reveals her story smashing secret to a camera, but in the book she seems to keep it to herself. I don’t know which is better. The latter leaves you yearning for justice, which I suppose is a good thing. When a book leaves you pining for something then it has clearly imprinted on you, and I suppose that is what an author should strive for. I do wish that some of the questions had been answered, though I can’t tell you which ones without ruining it for you. I shall just say ‘Does Briony tell her parents the truth in the one day?’.

I recommend this. Especially if you like books about the wartime period, which I have realised recently I do seem to enjoy.