Book of the Week: 16-22 August

Atonement

by Ian McEwan

Have you ever waited for something with incredible excitement and anticipation, building up a near-impossible, idealized image of what it will be like? And have you ever had the real thing exceed that expectation? 

That's essentially what happened for me with Ian McEwan's novel, Atonement. I saw the film adaptation starring Kiera Knightly and James MacAvoy in 2008 and immediately wanted to read the book. I was curious how the stunning visuals and cinematography would translate to the page. On a whim, I read one of McEwan's short stories before I was able to get my hands on Atonement and was struck by his ability to fearlessly confront the darkness of the human spirit without veering into the melodramatic. This particular short story, entitled "Solid Geometry," was macabre and, ultimately, deeply disturbing, but was executed with such precision and beauty that I was left pleasantly stunned and wonderfully uncomfortable.

I finally found a copy of Atonement at my local library (three cheers for the public library system!) and could not have been more pleased with it. I'm fairly sure McEwan could describe, in intimate detail, the subtle grace and beauty of a piece of belly button lint, and I would eagerly devour every word. The landscapes he paints are as vivid as technicolor and are pulsing with life, but he also appeals to the other senses by showing you exactly how a hot summer day in the English countryside smells and feels and sounds.

In addition to the immersive scenes he creates, which I was almost expecting after the gorgeous and dreamlike visuals of the film, each of his characters is thoroughly human in ways sometimes shocking and unexpected and in other ways perfectly mundane. This blend of total familiarity and absolute strangeness is what makes his work so chilling and compelling. To see characters thinking something you yourself have thought, who then suddenly do something you would never dream of, is quite startling; it makes you wonder if you truly are above such actions, as you fervently hope to be.

I can't sing the praises of Atonement enough -- you really much must read it yourself. McEwan's writing style and intricately woven plot propel the reader forward and make for an engrossingly rapid read. And when you've finished, reward yourself by watching the film -- even if you didn't like the story, the beautiful cast, costumes, scenes, and cinematography will keep you enthralled.

Photos here, here, here, and here