Ian McEwan tends to be a polarizing author in literary fiction circles. I have friends who LOVE HIM (my sister and I are in that camp, for sure), friends who HATE HIM and despise his work, and friends who run hot-and-cold. If you’re not sure if you’ll like McEwan, Atonement is actually the perfect place to start, since it’s largely considered to be his finest work (and I certainly agree with that argument). It definitely lacks the macabre that characterized his early works. [sidenote: ask me about The Cement Garden sometime. ::shudder::] Read the full review on my blog, and comment away if you have feelings about this novel! (If you are my Goodreads friend, you already know how Malin feels about it!).
Comments
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.
Just based on “Atonement” I like McEwan. I haven’t decided if I can handle his raw intensity to read him for entertainment or if I’ll respect him from a distance.
Hahahaha, don’t read his early stuff. He adds disgusting elements to the raw intensity. If you’re feeling brave, I think Amsterdam might be up your alley, since it’s a little more distant. Saturday is also a favorite. Enduring Love would creep you out, even though it’s fantastic.
Strangely I’ve only read Atonement and The Cement Garden, which leaves me in a weird place about deciding where to go next with McEwan. Suggestions? I loved Atonement.
Wow! Haha, that *is* a weird McEwan junction. If you loved Atonement, I would also suggest Enduring Love, Amsterdam, or Saturday. Or Sweet Tooth (which I loved and several CBR friends did not). I also really liked The Child in TIme, but it’s a bit sci-fi-ish and sort of out-of-genre for him. Like I said, I’m a McEwan fangirl.
I would repeat my vitriol and stabby rage about this book (seriously, Briony should have been drowned at birth), but I’m still laid low with a cold and don’t really have the energy. I’m glad you love the book, I suspect my husband would too. I just can’t. The whole book, that ending. So much rage.
My husband enjoyed the book too, though he went on a Briony rant that almost matched your toned-down-from-cold vitriol. And let’s be real, she deserves it.
I want to read this, but I don’t know that I can handle a main character that has few redeeming qualities. Is the book from her POV, or is it omniscient?
The POV alternates in the first part between Briony, Robbie, Cecelia, and Emily Tallis (the mom). Very interesting, and you get a fuller picture of the conflict. The second part alternates between Robbie and Cecelia during WWII (absolutely spectacular, in my opinion), and the third and epilogue focus on an older Briony. Only you can answer whether you can read a book featuring an unlikeable protagonist, though, so I can’t guarantee that you will find the read worthwhile. For me, the writing stands out above and beyond the unlikeable protagonist, so for that alone, the read was worthwhile. Even The Chancellor, who tends to care a bit more for story, was really drawn into the writing.