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Atonement book cover
Literary Fiction · Melancholic

A child’s lie changes lives, and she spends decades trying to make amends

Atonement

by Ian McEwan

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2001Moderate readSlow pace

What it is about

In 1935, thirteen-year-old Briony Tallis accuses her sister’s lover Robbie of a crime he did not commit. The novel follows the consequences through war and over the next six decades. McEwan’s 2001 book is a study of guilt.

Who will enjoy it

Readers who enjoy literary fiction that puts character and language first, with a melancholic mood and an unhurried pace. It is a read that rewards some attention.

Themes: Guilt · Class · War

Screen adaptation

Atonement (2007)

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Page count and cover shown for: Selected edition

About the author

Ian McEwan2 books on Tori Books

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