Reviews

Atonement by Ian McEwan

leachiarabtr's review against another edition

challenging emotional informative mysterious reflective tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

allmyexistentialcrises's review against another edition

medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

1.0

dnietoperafan's review against another edition

3.0

‘Atonement’ is a book that starts pretty slowly, but picks up in the eighth chapter. The bad thing is that personally, I thought near the end it starts to slow down again, and that’s why I give it three stars. Don’t get me wrong, the story is absolutely beautiful, but the reading experience took away the good parts of the book.

I really liked the entire concept of the story. I feel like it really touched me emotionally.

raconteurs's review against another edition

4.0

I took me a while to geht into the story. I thought it started a bit slow. But after about half the book I was hooked and enjoyed the story. As I came to the end I liked is even more and was very happy to have sticked with it.

lizgzara's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

eleanormia96's review against another edition

emotional reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

I really struggled to get into this at first. The prose is quite heavy at times and I couldn't quite see the thrust of McEwan's story (even though I have seen the film and knew what happens). But, once the "event" takes place I was hooked by its depth. This book is a harrowing reflection on the nature of personal responsibility, guilt and forgiveness - as well as the nature of storytelling.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: War

Moderate: Sexual assault and Rape

antillais's review against another edition

reflective tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.75

danielafin's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

megfindlay's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful reflective sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

nellyycurrie's review against another edition

mysterious reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Enjoyed quite a lot! Devoured it on holiday. Didn’t like the ending, it confused me and was unsatisfying, but liked the whole idea of the narrative and not knowing what was true or not, and truth as in some ways objective.