Atonement
by Ian McEwan
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Book Reviews of Atonement
Book Review: Emotionally draining yet resounding in its importance and significance, completely worth the read...
Summary: 5 Stars
Upon reading `Atonement' one is completely removed from their lives, their places of dwelling and time of departure and transplanted to a place where nothing is familiar yet everything is impressionable. Being the first novel I've read by the acclaimed novelist Ian McEwan I was immediately made aware of his immense talent. The tale presented to the reader is one of remarkable effectiveness, one that is truly relatable and believable and in the end of dire importance for its overall moral is one that transcends the boundaries of this prose and cements itself in our very being, in our every interaction and in our constant memory. Separated into four sections `Atonement' is broken down in such a way as to make the true conclusion all the more shocking and heartbreaking.
Part one retells the events on one especially harsh summer day in 1935. I say `especially harsh' mainly because by the days end events take place that harshly affect the lives of everyone involved. 13-yearold Briony Tallis is a smart and imaginative young girl and she becomes the main focus of our attention as we hear of the day's events. As she attempts to orchestrate a theatrical production in honor of her brother Leon's arrival home she is met with a few snags and some ominous distractions that put her initial plans on hold and send her into a newfound direction. As the relationship between her older sister Cecilia and their housekeepers son Robbie begins to take a turn Briony finds herself in the know of a serious misunderstanding that changes the course of everyone's lives. With their three cousins Lola, Jackson and Pierrot visiting as well as Leon's friend Paul Marshall the house is quite full on the evening in question, so when events take a turn for the worse there are so many more eyes to cast their judgment.
Briony is a very interesting character. I found it truly fascinating as her character unveiled itself with each turning page. Her immaturity is emphasized by her incessant need to be the mature one despite her inability to do so. She's lost in her writing, an obsession that causes her to read deeply into matters that aren't her concern and imagine the possibilities no matter how devastating they may become. She also allows the actions of others to affect her too deeply, finding herself reacting irrationally and this leaves her in a position to do much harm. It's hard for the reader not to find themselves calling Briony out as the villain here, for it's her needless actions that cause so much pain, but in reality she's nothing more than a young child who was invested in a poor decision.
So, with an accusation made and a terrible crime committed we brace ourselves for the second and third parts of the novel where we follow Robbie and Briony respectably as they strive to patch up their lives. Robbie has been through hell, literally, and in the second part of the novel we follow his journey as he strives to get home from the war. The horrors he is witness to, the atrocities he is privy to are all sprawled out for us is detail, as is his dire need to be reunited with his lost love Cecilia. The third part covers Briony's struggles as a nurse during the war, but more importantly her struggles within herself for some ounce of atonement for her sins. She has grown up since that summer day, not only in age but in understanding, and she is finally able to grasp the seriousness of her lies. The pain she has caused will never fully be undone, but she desires to do all she can to write them.
The novel opens with such a brilliantly conceived idea, and is so effortlessly and elegantly penned that one is immediately engulfed in its design. I for one could not put it down and read the entire first section in one sitting. Sadly the second a third sections do not read as briskly, but their importance is all the more secured by the closing section as elderly Briony recounts her actions and the ultimate consequences of them all. The final pages are chilling to say the least, and are completely unexpected, so much so that the tears running down my face had all but dried before I realized I was crying.
`Atonement' is a brilliantly orchestrated tale of pain, despair, loyalty, betrayal and the ultimate yearning to make amends, to find atonement for our sins and attain forgiveness for our souls. Truly one of the most inspiring and ultimately absorbing novels I've read to date.
Book Review: Briony as Unreliable Narrator
Summary: 5 Stars
_Atonement_ is a fine book, highly reminiscent of Elizabeth Bowen's work. But I don't understand why the common assessment of Briony as unreliable narrator seems to stop at her end-revelation that Cecilia and Robbie were killed without ever fulfilling their love.
Briony admits, in fact, to being a novelist throughout. She says she collapsed several hospitals she worked at into one. A common writing technique; after all, what is important is how her experience as a wartime nurse affects her.
Her rejection letter, which states that Elizabeth Bowen (who was said to not even work for the magazine) felt compelled to read her manuscript and loved it, is far too glowing for reality. Then there is the book's harmonious ending. Several generations of Briony's relatives assemble to see Briony's childhood play "The Trials of Arabella," which was interrupted and upstaged by the drama of Lola's sexual violation. Her cousin Pierrot ran away from rehearsals as a child, scotching the performance. Yet the final chapter of _Atonement_ asserts he was bitterly disappointed at not acting in it. To the extent that decades later he organized this performance, and is tearfully grateful to see it. This is pure wish fulfillment. Briony is giving herself a happy ending that she did not give Robbie and Cecilia--though she's still contemplating the latter.
Much more interesting is the description of the central event, Lola's sexual violation. Fifteen-year-old Lola is socially sophisticated--her mother just publicly eloped to Paris with a lover. Lola dresses and acts as much like an adult as she can. She's very pretty, dresses attractively, and her grooming and makeup are impeccable. Her interaction with the wealthy young chocolate magnate Paul Marshall is distinctly flirtatious. Like other girls of her generation, Lola would have been brought up to marry well, and Paul is an excellent catch. In another two or three years, Lola would be brought out into society, where her pursuit of a husband would be entirely acceptable.
While Briony is helping everyone to hunt for her runaway twin cousins, she checks the 18th-century "ruined villa" on an little island in the little lake. A spot that is both romantic, and easy for non-residents to locate (Paul Marshall has never visited the house before). Here she discovers Lola with a man on top of her, and immediately assumes this is a rape. Three years later, when Lola marries Paul Marshall, Briony admits the man was Paul. However, Briony, who her sister Cecilia describes as "a young thirteen," is not at the time sophisticated enough to understand the difference between consensual sex and rape. Only a few hours earlier, Briony discovered Cecilia and Robbie having enthusiastic sex in the library, assumed it was rape, and they have not had an opportunity to tell her otherwise. Very possibly Lola's sexual act is also quite willing, and Briony realizes that when she is somewhat older. Even Briony marvels that Lola "fell in love with her rapist."
When Briony discovers Lola and Paul, Paul immediately flees, leaving Lola to deal with the problems. And they have several. If it's consensual sex, Lola's aunt, uncle, and parents will be furious at her for losing her virtue. They'll be even more angry at Paul, who is a responsible adult. Paul can't immediately marry Lola to repair the damage--she's so young that "people would talk." Also, Lola's uncle (Briony's father) works for the War Ministry, and Paul is angling for a very lucrative army-provisioning contract. It's likely that Lola's uncle could make sure he didn't get it.
And here, Lola gets lucky: Briony, carefully led on, is willing to help Lola call the event a rape and to pin the blame on Robbie. Paul Marshall may merely have had a little sexual amusement in mind. But now that they've been seen, Lola could blackmail Paul into marrying her as soon as she's of age, by threatening to reveal the truth. Everything works out for them. Lola gets her wealthy husband and hangs onto him for the rest of her life. Paul gains his army contract. He also marries a woman whom he was attracted to when she was 15 and who is even prettier at 18.
I suspect that close examination of _Atonement_ would reveal additional examples of Briony as an unreliable narrator.
Book Review: Book Review: Atonement
Summary: 3 Stars
The Story
This is a tragic story of a love that was truly meant to be, but never fully grew to its full fruition because of the naitivity of a girl, bound by jealousy and fear. The lovers are Cecelia and Robbie and their fate is turned in the events that take place on one night. The girl who interrupted their love was Briony, Cecelia's younger, imaginative sister who made more of what she saw and heard than she had a right to.
This is also the story of consequences and how the decisions you make influence not only your path, but those of others around you. Briony's false accusations tear apart Cecilia & Robbie's love. It takes a lifetime for Briony to make atonement for the wake of her lies.
The Review
I watched this movie in Big Bear over Thanksgiving week in 2008. The movie brought me to tears. It was a movie that I had purchased, however had just not gotten around to watching. In the dark of the night, I watched it alone and was struck by its force. It was a truly incredible movie. For those who may be familiar with my blog, I am a stickler about reading books before watching the movies based upon them. I want my mind to be a fresh and clean palate for the words of the book. In this particular case, it ended up that the movie induced me to purchase the book. Particularly, it was the commentary on the movie DVD that had indicated that this movie so closely followed the book that I thought the book must be wonderful.
Along with several others, I purchased the book. When I went to read it, I found that I was disturbed by the images in my head that were associated with the movie. It is hard reading a story that you already know the ending to. This further enforces my belief that I should always read a book before viewing the movie (thank God I read The Secret Life of Bees and haven't watched the movie yet). In any case, I've started and stopped reading this novel several times. Why? Because it felt "wordy" to me and I already knew the story. I became disappointed in myself. I had made a determination to read this book, I invested in purchasing it in hardback, and damn it if I wasn't going to read it!
I promised myself it would be read before April was over; as such, I have read the novel. I felt differently about the novel than the movie. I loved the movie and didn't love the book. Why? Because when I read Briony's thoughts and feelings, I felt nothing but contempt for her. I already knew that she had ruined Cecelia & Robbie's hopes at love and life. She seemed almost oblivious to the ramifications of her childish whims. In addition, the book was so filled with description of scenery and events that I found myself rushing to finish the book. I didn't want to envision what the book was saying because the movie had done that for me.
There were some differences between the movie and the book. The ending was quite different than the movie and I believe that the movie would have been better served had it chosen the identical ending to the book. I also felt a much deeper connection to Briony in her years as a nurse in the book versus how it was displayed in the movie. Overall, if I had to choose one or the other, I'd choose the movie. How sad is that? I love books! I love the poetry of words. But, I feel in some ways that my read and review were doomed because of my love for the movie.
On Sher's "Out of Ten Scale:"
In regards to recommendations, I would DEFINITELY recommend the movie. The book... I believe is for the few who really love the art of writing and the art of words. Some of the passages were so well written that they were poetic in nature. This is a truly gifted author and his efforts are not wasted on this novel. If there is one thing that you can take away from this review, it is to read the book before you see this movie and not in the reverse order, as I did.
For the genre Fiction:Historical, I am going to rate this book an 8.5 OUT OF 10.
Book Review: 3 Different books that never become one
Summary: 3 Stars
When a highly touted book receives such varied customer reviews, I've got to read it. And I can't resist adding my voice to the many reviews already posted. What an odd book this is.
It begins portraying domestic life in the English countryside. The only person who regularly goes to town is the sketchily drawn father. The mother takes to her bed frequently to avoid the apparently very real, migraines she is cursed with. The children and staff live in the country as if insulated from the world by a chintz tea-cozy. The oldest daughter's dilemma in choosing a dress for dinner is described, "...she wanted to look as though she had not given the matter a moment's thought...Soon her mother would appear and want to discuss the table placings, Paul Marshall would come down from his room and be in need of company, and then Robbie would be at the door. How was she to think straight?" Difficulties, indeed. This tightly enclosed domestic scene is set, and the hypocrisy of the British upper class is gently skewered. This portion of the book climaxes when the youngest daughter, Briony, a self-centered, overly dramatic 13 year old mis-interprets actions of the adults; accuses, testifies, and is the cause of the public damnation of one of the young men. Suddenly, the scene shifts dramatically.
WWII descends on their lives abruptly. The wrongly convicted young man is fighting in France. The story of his service is not of predictable noble heroism. It is the ugly, dispiriting retreat of the English army from France back to Britain. This may be the most affecting portion of the book, but any waggish views of British life are left firmly in the first part of the book. It is a sad, cruel journey he makes. And his fate is telegraphed loud and clear; the continuous jabs of shrapnel in his side, into his ribs, against his organs, leave little doubt that he will not complete his journey.
Before this ends though, the book shifts (again) to the life of the now grown Brionywho is in nursing training. Her duties, mostly the lowliest in the hospital, include endless cleaning of bed pans and other distasteful jobs. So, is this the "atonement" for her former errors we have been promised? It seems not. The older daughter who had so much difficulty choosing a dress becomes a nurse and is promptly promoted to Ward Sister; a position which requires a "she who must be obeyed" personality. No explanation for this personality shift is explored. It just happens.
Then things get dicey indeed. A walk the younger girl takes to visit her long estranged sister is described in tremendous detail. It is not a very interesting walk, but each observation, no matter how mundane, is recorded. In fact, in my paperback copy, the description of this tedious walk goes on for 17 pages! Even the most naive reader can tell something is up the author's sleeve. This boring segment has a purpose though; everything that occurs after it, (until the last chapter) is untrue. While some people have been delighted with this over-used plotting technique, I was unimpressed. To describe a vivid love story resolution, and then to find out it was all made up by another character is over-used, cheap, and manipulative. It didn't help that in this book it was also obvious as all get-out. But Briony writing an untrue happy resolution of the love story between her sister and the young man who's life she ruined, seems to be the best "atonement" we're going to get. She actually has the nerve to muse, "How can a novelist achieve atonement when, with her absolute power of deciding outcomes, she is also God?" WHAT??? She didn't decide an outcome of people's lives, she decided the outcome of her fiction. And her foolish, wrong-headed error becomes unforgivable, because she never asks for forgiveness.
I would not classify this amongst the worse books I've ever read but I certainly wouldn't recommend it. Writing a nice sentence, even one that can be described as "lyrical" is one thing. Writing a good book is quite another.
Book Review: McEwan should atone for the money I spent
Summary: 1 Stars
I had very high hopes for this book when I purchased it, thinking that it was going to be a thrilling, heartbreaking romance-mystery and that I would be brought to tears by the end. However, I was thoroughly disappointed after finishing it, and if I had been brought to tears, it would only have been for wasting my money. For one thing, McEwan's characters never quite ring true. Especially in the beginning, the characters' actions are difficult to see as realistic, and McEwan seems to be making them act in ways that are most convenient to move the story along, rather than having them act in a way that is understandable. Cecilia's actions are difficult to believe, (does any woman, in any time period, *really* believe that taking their clothes off in front of a man is a good way to punish him for something?) The relationship between Cecilia and Robbie seems to have been far too rushed and incomplete to have lasted for so many years with censored letters as the only way to interact, as well. Call me unromantic, but I found it hard to believe that two people could be so completely and purely devoted to one another when their romance began as, basically, a spur-of-the-moment hookup.
McEwan also seems to have difficulty deciding what sort of story he wants to tell. At first, it appears to be a mystery: you know that a terrible crime will be committed, and perhaps McEwan hopes that readers will be kept guessing as to "who done it." However, it seemed so obvious to me from the beginning that I did not think the book could have been intended as a mystery. Then I thought that perhaps the book was supposed to be a collective memoir, the kind that switches points of view in order to tell the whole story. But this point of view switching is done too unevenly. Briony gets most of the book devoted to her and her actions, Robbie gets a brief part in the beginning and the middle section all to himself, Cecilia only gets an inconsequential part of the beginning, and even Emily Tallis, Briony and Cecilia's mother, gets a chance to have the story told through her eyes, even though she is of little to no importance to the rest of the story, and her insights serve no purpose. McEwan's switching from one point of view to the next is done very clumsily, and hinders the storytelling by giving the reader too much information rather than enhancing it. He seems to want to show off all the research he must have done to write the novel, and consequently makes the whole thing extremely tedious and full of useless details. Of course, the book could also be called a romance, but since it is told mostly from Briony's point of view and the feelings of Cecilia, one-half of the romantic duo, are largely ignored, the "romance" label isn't quite there, either.
In the end, McEwan suddenly jumps to the present day, and explains most everything that's happened to Briony since we left off in World War II. The ending seemed tacked on and unnecessarily drawn out. McEwan could have easily ended the book before his modern-day jump, even though we do not get to know what eventually happened to Robbie and Cecilia. It is enough to know that Briony stole years from their lives and happiness, and his rushed explanation of what became of them in the end only makes Briony seem all the more self-centered, rather than making the book any better. I, at that point, had long since stopped caring about Briony whom, even through her intense remorse at the crime she committed against her sister and Robbie, still keeps the spotlight focused on herself and her feelings rather than the plight of those she wronged.
I finished the book only so that I could criticize it from beginning to end--it is by far the worst disappointment I've ever had in a book. I did not see the movie because of it, and I believe the only way that it could be any good at all is if Hollywood has done what it usually does with novels (that is, completely rewrite them.) I just know I'm not going to spend any more money on anything related to 'Atonement.'