Atonement

Hello readers! I apologize for once again posting this much later than I should. While I have been reading, my life got quite crazy for awhile and writing has sadly fallen by the wayside. However, it shall never happen again. Mainly because I quit my job to pursue my writing career. Crazy, I know! But if I don’t try, I’ll never know. Anyway, I bring to you yet another book review from my list and I must say, this one set the standards high!

So…I know I am not very far on this literary journey but any book I read now is going to have to be absolutely incredible to beat Atonement by Ian McEwan.  What a fantastic read!  Unlike other books that are told from several points of view, this particular one converges to one viewpoint which added so much more to the story itself.  Telling the story of a couple in Word War II, McEwan runs the gambit of human emotion and the importance of perspective.  And honestly, even reducing this book to a simple love story does it a great disfavor.  This book is about so much more and trying to explain it would be nearly impossible.  Atonement really delves into the differences of age, gender, class, and perspective. It starts with the misconception of a teenager, Briony, whose penchant for drama and fantasy lead to a man being falsely accused of rape. This simple misunderstanding ends up shaping the entire life of each character in the book. While the story does switch viewpoints, the majority is told from the perspective of Briony and demonstrates to the reader how she sees the world. And the story ends in one viewpoint: hers. This wonderful story jumps back and forth between the lines of fact and fiction, playing with reality versus conception versus make-believe. It also demonstrates how one event can have multiple interpretations depending on who is the one witnessing it. 

Furthermore, anyone who considers themselves a writer will love not only the fashion this book is written in as well as how writing is portrayed. The style in which this book is written made me fall not only in love with the story itself but with Ian McEwan as a writer. I look forward to reading many more of his books.

I really wish I could give you more about the plot of the story itself but I feel that it would ruin the experience of the book. While I strive to give accurate views and opinions of the books I read for this blog, this is one occasion where I cannot bring myself to release any spoilers. For me, this book was a new experience in every sense of the word and I could never live with myself if I ruined that experience for any future readers.  All I will say is that this is a book I highly recommend you read as soon as possible. Without a doubt it deserves to be on the list and any other recommended reading list out there.  And don’t rent the movie; it doesn’t do the book justice. But if you’re reading this, I have a feeling you would never even dream of it. 

Until next time my lovely readers...happy travels!