Atonement: A Novel

NATIONAL BESTSELLER - A symphonic novel of love and war, childhood and class, guilt and forgiveness that provides all the satisfaction of a brilliant narrative and the provocation we have come to expect from the acclaimed Booker Prize-winning, internationally bestselling author.

One of the New York Times's 100 Best Books of the 21st Century

On a hot summer day in 1935, thirteen-year-old Briony Tallis witnesses a moment's flirtation between her older sister, Cecilia, and Robbie Turner, the son of a servant and Cecilia's childhood friend. But Briony's incomplete grasp of adult motives--together with her precocious literary gifts--brings about a crime that will change all their lives.

As it follows that crime's repercussions through the chaos and carnage of World War II and into the close of the twentieth century, Atonement engages the reader on every conceivable level, with an ease and authority that mark it as a genuine masterpiece.

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351 pages

Average rating: 7.65

172 RATINGS

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8 REVIEWS

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Community Reviews

Isobelle
Jan 14, 2025
10/10 stars
What an amazing piece of literature. So thought-provoking.
Anonymous
Jan 11, 2025
8/10 stars
i read this book bc i heard about the movie and it was really different to what i expected. the writing was enjoyable enough but the actual way the story is carried out was just okay. i tried reading someone else’s 5 star review to understand if perhaps i was missing something, but i think the emotions it stirred up just weren’t as strong for me as for some others. still, it poses an interesting question of fault and guilt. i’m still not sure how i feel about the wrong that was committed and i especially felt weird about how lola’s character is described and how her storyline plays out. intriguing for sure!
Gabriel Maestas
Jun 10, 2024
8/10 stars
This love story takes some horsepower to get through...if you're a guy who typically reads and writes horror. Ha! But it's a good read!
Cardy Anne
Sep 12, 2023
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Anonymous
Jul 10, 2023
10/10 stars
I love stories that take place in periods other than the one I live in. I thought that Ian McKewan made it imperative that you immerse yourself in the mentality and culture of the early and mid 20th century.

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