Atonement
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The book/CD was VERY slow getting started. However, since I had heard so much on the TV and knew the movie had won so many awards....I stuck with it. It turned out to be pretty good.
Very well written and this was my first exposure to McEwan. I was entranced by the structure, that is the division into parts. I had no problem being engaged with the characters from page (disc) one and several times sat in my car in the parking lot and was ever so slightly late for work! I have never considered Dunkirk from the perspective of those who were picked up only from the "picker uppers"...see Mrs. Miniver. A fascinating picture of whatever McEwan chose to tell us. Enjoy.
Though the writing was very good in the beginning, the plot was very slow to take off and for what would have been the second time, I nearly gave up on it. The nicest thing about books on tape, a reader's voice is better than silence in the car, at least most of the time. I listened to the tape, sometimes becoming very impatient with the author. A couple of times I recall saying outloud--make me care about these characters! About half way through the book, I began to care. I cared so much, in fact, that I stopped listening to the book and picked up the book again and read it at home. As the book ended, I was so moved my eyes clouded in tears. I then appreciated the careful journey the author had taken me on. A very good book if you can be a bit patient.
If you enjoy good literature rather than "formula" authors, you will want to listen to this. It is very well crafted. McEwan's style of writing and use of language is to the reader (or - in this case, listener) a literary feast. I found myself looking for excuses to be in my car to listen to this masterpiece. This book was very deservant of winning the Booker prize!
An excellant book by one of the best writers of contemporary modern fiction. The first half of the book is as good as anything that is is being written today. The second half doesn't quite live up to the promise of the first half but McEwan at 75% is still better than most writers that one is likely to read. The book, like most of McEwan's writing, is a series of exquisitely wrought set pieces. The writing is technically brilliant though undeniably dark in nature. I give it 4 out of 5 because McEwan's abundant talent sets the bar high for himself. The promise of the book makes one wish it were even better than it is. The bok has terrific perspective on life between the wars in upper class English family life in the run up to WW2 and in the summer of 1940. The book also has a wonderfully well crafted perspective on a precocious teen's view of the mysteries of adult love and life. There is a terrible tragedy that emerges from this misunderstanding that forever changes three lives.
I almost gave up on this one. The first few disks seemed to go nowhere, but after awhile, the story began to take shape. It was not really my style, too much romance and flowery descriptive language. However, in the end I was glad I saw it though.