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On a hot summer day in 1935, 13-year-old Briony Tallis witnesses the flirtation between her older sister, Cecilia, and Robbie Turner, the son of a servant. But Briony’s incomplete grasp of adult motives and her precocious imagination bring about a crime that will change all their lives. The repercussions follow Briony, her sister, and Robbie, in particular, through the chaos and carnage of World War II and into the close of the 20th century.
I read Atonement when it first came out and realized recently when a reader messaged me on here that I hadn’t reviewed it for the site. (It was before I started Rated Reads.) So I decided I must write up something to share my take on it, but more importantly, rating info.
I did write this earlier on for Goodreads:
Wow. What a book! Such fascinating angles and viewpoints, and so heart-wrenching. The twist at the end was a good one. McEwan is an excellent writer. He captures ideas and thoughts and characters so well, and is especially adept at the poignant twists that real life takes, the ins and outs, the shades of gray, and the what-ifs. So nuanced.
Even two decades later, I still can feel the gut punch(es) I felt as I read the book. I highly recommend it, aside from the content.
Rated: High. Profanity includes 24 uses of strong language, a few instances of moderate profanity, a handful of uses of mild language, 10 uses of British (bl-) profanity, and about 10 instances of the name of Deity in vain. Sexual content is strong, with some erotic scenes. War scenes include some gory detail.
