A roaring beginning typical of McEwan's stories. I was disappointed and not as drawn in by the second half.

Our group was evenly split on this one: half raved about it, the other half thought it was boring. As a fan of the book, I thought it was riveting, one of McEwan's better efforts. Loved the ambiguity in the storyline, but that's what turned off some in our book club.

It took me about 100 pages to really get into it, but when I did I couldn't put it down and I was really affected by the end.

How can you atone for a mistake which so drastically alters someone’s life? This is a complex novel that explores issues of class, guilt, love, war and forgiveness. On a summer day in 1935, at 13-year-old Briony's family estate, she witnesses a part of scene between her older sister, Cecilia, and Robbie Turner, the son of a servant, and her imagination takes off. Additional happenings in the house that same day, including her own snooping, result in a leap of logic and she accuses Robbie of a terrible crime. Her “confident” testimony is what convicts him despite the absence of evidence. This is her crime, whose repercussions the book follows through World War II and beyond, and for which Briony will spend her life trying to atone.

The reader knows this is an injustice and can only hope for an eventual resolution. I was horrified that no one took a good look at the situation and saw the obvious flaws in this young girl’s testimony. But then, she was an upper class young lady of a fine family, and he was the strong laborer trying to “get above his station.” Cecilia, in my opinion, is equally to blame for locking herself in her room at the outset and not coming forward until it is too late to save Robbie. She also atones; she completely cuts herself off from her family and continuously works to try to reverse the damage. Robbie is left to try to piece together some semblance of a life; his service during WW 2 is in part an effort to expunge his record.

Jill Tanner’s performance of this audio book is wonderful. She’s able to express the boredom and outrage of the young teen Briony, the passion and excitement of Cecilia, the anxiety and confusion of Pierrot and Jackson, the petulance and superiority of Lola, and the hope and determination of Robbie.

* * * * S P O I L E R A L E R T * * * *
The issue of class is further evident because while Cecilia firmly believes that Robbie had nothing to do with the attack on Lola, she automatically focuses her attentions on Danny Hardman, a lad from the village. She never suspects Paul Marshall … though it was HE who had scratches on his face from an earlier attempt on Lola. Even though Lola had to seek treatment for cuts and bruises earlier in the day (she blamed her younger twin brothers), no one seemed to put two and two together. Paul, after all, was the scion of a wealthy family, a college man, and a good friend of Leon Tallis. And later in life when Briony wants to tell the “real” story, she is advised against doing so because surely the Marshalls would sue her for libel. Yes, Lola marries her rapist and is now the wealthy wife who, along with her husband, supports many worthy charities. Their “class” insulates them from scrutiny.

First, I have to say that the actual story-line and characters are brilliantly presented. The only detraction I can make about the book are the often wordy, overly descriptive passages about minutiae. I didn't feel it added to the story and, as a result, slowed the story down (at least for me). This is probably destined to be a love it or hate it book, and I can fully understand those that love it, although I'm not in that majority.