Atonement

By: Ian McEwan

Narrated by: Jill Tanner

Length: 14 hrs and 14 mins

Publisher's summary

National Book Critics Circle, Fiction, 2003

In Atonement, three children lose their innocence, as the sweltering summer heat bears down on the hottest day in 1935, and their lives are changed forever. Cecilia Tallis is of England's priviledged class; Robbie Turner is the housekeeper's son. In their moment of intimate surrender, they are interrupted by Cecilia's hyperimaginative and scheming 13-year-old sister, Briony. And as chaos consumes the family, Briony commits a crime, the guilt of which she shall carry throughout her life.

©2001 Ian McEwan (P)2003 Recorded Books

Critic reviews

• Book Sense Book of the Year Award Finalist, Adult Fiction, 2003

"A tour de force. Every bit as affecting as it is gripping." (The New York Times)
"Enthralling...With psychological insight and a command of sensual and historical detail, Mr. McEwan creates an absorbing fictional world." (The Wall Street Journal)
"A beautiful and majestic fictional panorama." (The New Yorker)

My best audiobook yet

When I try to convince friends to get into the audiobook habit, i recommend starting with this one! This is the best of the best. Flawless. Great book and exquisite narration.
By the way, there is another recording of the same book. I recommend this one. Ever since I listened to Jill Tanner reading here, I try to get any other book she is reading. She is my best narrator yet.
In short: a warm recommendation! If you have to listen to just one audiobook ever, this should be the one.

This is one of my favorite modern novels

This is one of my favorite books, I have already read it twice and it's not very old. It's very well written and constructed and it works so well on so many different levels. The narration is wonderful and it is just as good as an audiobook as it is a written text. What I like about Ian McEwan's fiction is the way it is so full of prisms that allow you to see things from so many different perspectives without losing the coherence of narrative and setting. Very highly recommend.

Impressive

Besides providing an interestingly, densely-detailed picture of the attitudes of the well-bred British in the late 30's, McEwan lays bare some of the ways a writer's mind works, in youth and in maturity. You have to be a bit flexible to go along, but it is well worth it! However, for an overall pleasurable reading experience, I would give the edge to McEwan's _Saturday_. Though both books are set in worlds that seem to have gone mad, _Saturday_ is more uplifting for the reader. There is such a sense of foreboding lying over everything in _Atonment_.

Different from the Movie

Any additional comments?

Atonement is one of my favorite films. The book is also wonderful, but the visuals of the film are stupendous. The book is quite different than the film in some areas, but not significantly. The description of what happened at Dunkirk is especially moving. How easy it is to forget the sacrifice made by so many young men. This book reminds one of the incredible devastation of war.

One of the best books I’ve read this year.

On average I consume about a book per week. This book stands out. The writing is simply beautiful, which alone is worth the time and credit, but there is so much more here. I have no doubt that my thoughts will return to this poignant story and its characters again and again. Tanner was an excellent choice for narration and, as always, her work is exceptional. I highly recommend Atonement.

Beautiful writing. McEwan has a new fan.

Would you consider the audio edition of Atonement to be better than the print version?

I have not read the print version, but Jill Tanner is a great narrator. I am glad I listened to the book instead of simply reading it. I have not watched the movie, either.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Atonement?

The scene in which the mother is in her darkened room with a migraine, listening to the goings-on in the house and misinterpreting the sounds she hears. Also, Cecelia's phrase, "Come back," which was repeated with good effect throughout the story.

Which scene was your favorite?

The library scene and its aftermath.

If you could rename Atonement, what would you call it?

I like the title. Maybe Bravery and Cowardice.

Any additional comments?

Ian McEwan is a talented writer. I was mesmerized and enjoyed every insightful word. However, the ending, though realistic, was somewhat disappointing to me. Briony's "atonement' wasn't much of a reparation, in my opinion. It reminded me of how I felt after reading the ending of Gone With the Wind and The House of Riverton. Sad, yet thinking it could not have ended in any other way. I would highly recommend listening to Atonement.

Estupenda historia

Puede convertirse en un clásico de la literatura mundial. Los detalles de la narrativa de McEwan en una variedad espectacular de tonos, voces y velocidades. La película es buena pero el texto es completamente redondo. No tiene fallas en estructura, lenguaje y personajes. Es un texto imperdible de la actualidad.

Beautiful. Perfect.

A favorite. I've read it once, listened twice, watched the movie countless times and even recently bought a few copies to give as gifts. I never tire of it's beautiful perfection. If you've only seen the movie you know how moving the story is but missed some of the best parts. At one point in the movie they show Robbie tuck a parcel of letters into his uniform. This is a nod to those that read Atonement in acknowledgement of the beautiful, beautiful letters from Cecilia. Once you've read the book you MUST see the movie if for no other reason than to stare at the gorgeous Keira Knightley in her most stunning perfection. Director Joe Wright brings these characters to life in a movie in which every frame stands alone as a piece of art.

A slow burn, but a lasting ember.

There is a feeling of inevitability to this book, but the course of it is so raw and human that I did not mind my confidence in the predicted outcome.

Strong characters with unique ways of thinking

Would you consider the audio edition of Atonement to be better than the print version?

This book was easy to listen to and didn't have too many characters that would need to be looked up in a book.

What other book might you compare Atonement to and why?

This book was very unique in that it had a twist mid-book and then jumped from adolescence to adulthood suddenly, so it was almost like two different books. The first half was like a coming of age novel, and the second half was all war and gore.

Have you listened to any of Jill Tanner’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

This was my first. She had a nice voice.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

The opening scenes introducing Briony writing her play really painted a believable portrait of a quirky young girl.

Any additional comments?

The second half of the book and whole theme of atonement fell flat with me and seemed forced.