Atonement A Novel

Onthehottestdayofthesummerof1935,thirteen-year-oldBrionyTallisseesheroldersisterCeciliastripoffherclothesandplungeintothefountaininthegardenoftheircountryhouse.WatchingCeciliaistheirhousekeeper’ssonRobbieTurner,achildhoodfriendwho,alongwithBriony’ssister,hasrecentlygraduatedfromCambridge.Bytheendofthatdaythelivesofallthreewillhavebeenchangedforever.RobbieandCeciliawillhavecrossedaboundarytheyhadneverbeforedaredtoapproachandwillhavebecomevictimsoftheyoungergirl’sschemingimagination.AndBrionywillhavecommittedadreadfulcrime,theguiltforwhichwillcolorherentirelife.IneachofhisnovelsIanMcEwanhasbrilliantlydrawnhisreaderintotheintimatelivesandsituationsofhischaracters.Butneverbeforehasheworkedwithsolargeacanvas:InAtonementhetakesthereaderfromamanorhouseinEnglandin1935totheretreatfromDunkirkin1941;fromtheLondon’sWorldWarIImilitaryhospitalstoareunionoftheTallisclanin1999.AtonementisIanMcEwan’sfinestachievement.Brilliantandutterlyenthrallinginitsdepictionofchildhood,loveandwar,Englandandclass,thenovelisatitscenteraprofound?Candprofoundlymoving?Cexplorationofshameandforgivenessandthedifficultyofabsolution.,