Atonement by Ian McEwan
Atonement is a powerful novel that explores the consequences of a young girl's false accusation. The narrative follows the lives of three characters, the accuser, her older sister, and the sister's lover, who is wrongly accused. This false accusation irrevocably alters their lives, leading to the accused's imprisonment and eventual enlistment in World War II, while the sisters grapple with guilt, estrangement, and their own personal growth. The novel is a profound exploration of guilt, forgiveness, and the destructive power of misinterpretation.
The 136th greatest book of all time
If you're interested in seeing the ranking details on this book go here
This book is on the following lists:
- 3rd on Top 10 British, Irish or Commonwealth Novels from 1980 to 2005 (The Observer)
- 5th on A Premature Attempt at the 21st Century Canon (Vulture)
- 9th on The 100 Best Books of the Decade(2000) (Times)
- 9th on The 21st Century's 12 Greatest Novels (BBC)
- 13th on Paste Magazine's Best Books of the Decade(2000-2009) (Paste Magazine)
- 14th on The Millions: The Best Fiction of the Millennium (The Millions)
- 15th on The 100 Greatest British Novels (BBC)
- 30th on The Telegraph’s 100 Novels Everyone Should Read (Telegraph)
- 38th on The 100 Greatest Novels (greatbooksguide.com)
- 41st on The 100 best books of the 21st century (The Guardian)
- 82nd on The New Classics - 100 Best Reads from 1983 to 2008 (Entertainment Weekly)
- 93rd on The Greatest Books of All Time (Reader's Digest)
- 97th on The 100 Greatest Novels of All Time: The List (The Observer)
- 97th on 100 Essential Books (Bravo! Magazine)
- 154th on The Big Read (BBC)
- 455th on Our Users' Favorite Books of All Time (The Greatest Books Users)
- Modern classics: 11 novels that belong in the classroom (Today.com)
- National Book Critics Circle Award - Fiction (National Book Critics Circle)
- The Best Books of the 2000s (The Onion AV Club)
- Books of the Decade (The Guardian)
- TIME Magazine All Time 100 Novels (TIME Magazine)
- 100 Books to Read in a Lifetime (Amazon.com (UK))
- 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die (The Book)
- 222 Best Books of All Time That Deserve a Spot on Your Bookshelf, With Picks from Bestselling Authors and Indie Booksellers (Parade)
- As if You Don't Have Enough to Read, Fiction Edition (New York Times)