Book Review: Atonement by Ian McKewan

By
Sophie Roberts
-
Atonement
Image Source: Amazon

Book: Atonement
Author: Ian McKewan
Publisher: Jonathan Cape
Genre: Metafiction/Drama/Romance
Format: Novel
Publish Date: 2001

So, Atonement was shortlisted for the 2001 Booker prize. It’s regarded as one of Ian McKewan’s greatest works. And this book is a gripping tragedy of childhood naivety, false accusations, love and forgiveness.

Atonement

Synopsis Of Atonement

It’s England in 1935, and we meet Briony. She’s a 13-year-old girl with a talent for writing. Her older sister Cecilia and their older brother Leon live in their family estate with their parents. Cecilia recently graduated from University with her childhood family friend Robbie; his parents work as housekeepers.

Now adults, Robbie and Cecilia discover romantic feelings for each other that Robbie encloses in a rather vulgar letter. However, the innocent Briony opens the letter. Her naivety and innocence forces her to condemn Robbie as a maniac obsessed with her sister. This is reinforced when she walks in on the two having sexual intercourse.

Party

The Tallis’ cousins Lola and her twin brothers come to stay at the home for a party dinner. This, while their parents are going through a divorce. Leon’s friend Paul Marshall also attends. During the party, the twins disappear. As the group divides to search for them, Briony witnesses a male figure raping Lola. Briony assumes that it’s Robbie due to his intimate relationship with Cecilia.

After wrongfully accusing him, Robbie is sent to prison for seven years. And he must enlist in the army in order to leave prison. During these years and believing his innocence, Cecilia writes to him in the hope of rekindling their very new relationship. But we tragically learn that, during the war, Robbie dies. As does Cecelia during the bombing of London where she is working as a nurse.

Mistake

Many consider the novel as a piece of metafiction. It’s a third-person narrative. But we learn at the end that Briony, at age 77, is now a famous novel writer. And she wrote the story in an attempt to atone for her mistake.

Analysis Of Atonement

McKewan cleverly uses Briony as the storyteller. This is so that her character can try to atone for the pain, heartbreak and death of her sister and friend. He uses Briony as a first-person narrator at the end of the novel in comparison to using third person in the beginning. Consequently, McKewan delivers a believable and authentic story that could very possibly happen in history. Providing such a sudden twist at the end of the novel, it is both exciting and shocking as a reader. We feel pity for Briony in her grief and guilt. Yet the story advances her writing career. This could also change the reader’s perspective of Briony over whether her actions are selfish or atoning.

The use of true historic events such as World War 2 is immersive. And it’s visually enticing in its description of warfare and the wreckage of buildings. Not to mention the terrifying injuries of soldiers that would happen during the War. Although people generalize the genre of the novel as a drama, it also has elements of action, romance and tragedy. The gripping sexual tension between Robbie and Cecilia is extraordinarily bluntly written. This adds an exciting pace to divert the reader’s attention away from the harsh reality that the characters shortly face.

Summary Of Atonement

In closing, Ian McKewan delivers a deeply harrowing story. Atonement immerses readers into the mind of a young girl dealing with a guilty conscience. One that obstructs the innocent lives of her family and friends.

Overall Rating: 8.5/10 – Excellent

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