TeenLit Book Reviews

Atonement, by Ian McEwan, chronicles the thrilling fictional love story of Cecilia "Cee" Tallis and her family's gardener, Robbie Turner, through the eyes of young Briony Tallis. The story takes place in England during the 1930s. After witnessing the flirtations between Cecilia and Robbie, Briony accuses Robbie of a crime that lands him in jail and then as a soldier in World War II. As the story unfolds, Briony becomes increasingly guilty for disrupting her older sister's true love. Briony begins to shape her life around this guilt that plagues every day of her life. On a scale of one to four, with four being the best, I would rate Atonement a four because not only is the story heartfelt and vividly descriptive, it also allows the reader to enter Briony's head and sense her overwhelming emotions that she feels helpless to control. This book is geared toward a mature audience who can understand the complex character relationships and interactions, so it would be best for a high school audience or for college students. Overall, Atonement is a great book that takes the audience on an exciting ride through the complex lives of Ian McEwan's characters.