Atonement by Ian McEwan Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of Atonement
Book Review: Confused about the Hype
Summary: 1 Stars
I have picked up many books and put them down without ever reading them through, usually with the thought "That's the worst book I've ever had the mis-fortune to try reading". With this book, I forced myself to read it though simply because it's supposed to be an award winning novel and so fantastic that they are making a film of it. I hope they have better luck with the film...because when I say I forced myself to read the story, I was thinking when I finished it "That's the worst book I've ever had the mis-fortune to read through it's entirety".
Don't get me wrong, it had a few events that held you for a page or two, but overall, the story was so wordy that usually by the time you reached the bottom of the page you were forgetting what was going on and having to read it again...
Book Review: Contrived and predictable
Summary: 2 Stars
What an overrated piece of soap-operatic junk! I can't recall when I was so disappointed in a book. With all the accolades, I was expecting something really special (tho' I should know better by now, as commercial/popular success seems these days to be inversely related to quality). While the prose itself is nice, the entire book hangs on an event that occurs early on and is so contrived and unbelievable, with an outcome that is so predictable, that it was difficult for me to keep reading -- and the only reason I did keep reading was because I kept hoping it would get better, that an intelligent and complex structure would ultimately emerge to justify the contrivance and its predictability -- but alas, it never does. I can't get into specifics without giving away details that shouldn't be revealed to those who still want to read this trash, but if you're looking for an intelligent read with some substance and honesty, DON'T read this book!!Book Review: Couldn't get into it before viewing the movie . . .
Summary: 2 Stars
. . . Couldn't really get into it after watching the movie, but actually managed to finish it this time. Would I read another book of Ian McEwan's? Not unless he changed his writing style drastically.
At first the book is hard to get into, because it flicks back and forth between the different characters' points of views. But then the film is the same. But the book is pages and pages of never ending description - with very little dialogue added in between. And when you do get dialogue, it seems to be all grouped together, before you get more pages and pages of description.
What I will say about the book is that the film was at least faithful to it. You know I hate watching movies of books that I loved (the recent Narnia movies being prime examples), but reading the book after watching the film, I saw a few more insights into what I liked in the movie, but didn't quite make sense.
What I will NEVER get about the movie or the book for that matter, is the whole Lola/Paul Marshall storyline. What girl marries the man who sexually abused her? Or was it consensual? Considering she looked like she was crying the second time at least, we can think it wasn't consensual? I found this whole storyline very difficult to understand, since she marries Paul in both the movie and the book.
The ending of the movie is also changed, and to be honest, I preferred the ending depicted in the movie. The ending in the book just didn't work. I'm not quite sure what it was, but I was still turning pages, trying to find the rest of it.
If I'm going to be brutally honest, I skimmed a lot of sections of this book. I still read it, but particularly the war section of the book (scenes I hated in the movie) I skimmed. I was certainly disappointed even more than I was first time around, and would only recommend it to readers of Ian McEwan's work. Certainly do not read as your first book.
Book Review: Cramped, overwritten book
Summary: 2 Stars
I won't offer a plot summary that can be found in other book reviews. I'll offer my frank opinion that this book is over-rated and destined for the literary dustbin. "Atonement" is a cramped miniaturist piece that aspires to something greater, particularly in its commentary about written narrative, but ultimately, the major plot points boil down to the warped opinions of an adolescent mind. Lies, false accusations, fanciful opinions, need for drama--all products of a prepubescent's girl's mind. And unfortunately, a rather likable student is sent to war, separating him from his true love, because everyone is too willing to believe the idiotic opinions of the teenage girl Briony.Book Review: Deep
Summary: 3 Stars
Very well written, even though the story itself is less than the writing/prose. I can see this being a book in the list of literature in college must reads. I constantly felt like I was getting ready to write a book report on the foreshadows and metaphors within. However, the story keeps you going, much like the Great Gatsby. Beautifully written and easily transposed into the ah-ha's, I've felt that way before! The story itself is sorrowful and yet I am still wondering what was true and what was fabricated by Briony. Perhaps I was looking too hard for the inside scoop. This book is for a literary respective, not necessarily a story driven reader. I like both, so therefore, I enjoyed it, but not everyone will like reading it more so than watching the movie.