Atone
Due to the impending release of the adaptation of Ian McEwan’s Atonement (starring Keira Knightley and James McAvoy), I decided to reread the novel. Actually it will be the first time seeing as I didn’t get further than page 50 during my previous attempt. The novel gets off to a slow
, almost standstill start and takes a hundred pages or so to describe a simple event. I have to admit that too much atmosphere, setting and detail make me nervous and anxious to get on with it hence my initial failure but this time I am destined to prevail. I am still wrestling through McEwan’s eloquence and abundant sentences as we speak but because I liked his previous work, I’m hopeful that it’ll be w
orth it in the end. And Atonement is also considered his magnum opus so there must be something good about it (although I’m starting to wonder). For those who are interested in his other novels, I’d highly recommend The Cement Garden which is short, twisted and fascinating. Basically the perfect introduction to his work. Atonement on the other hand (I have to admit I’m a curious about the film) is more classical in the sense that it takes you by the hand and gently guides you down the yellow brick road while his other and in my opinion superior novels (also including Amsterdam and The Comfort of Strangers) catapult you into the unknown where anything is possible, just as long as you’re willing to give it a go.
, almost standstill start and takes a hundred pages or so to describe a simple event. I have to admit that too much atmosphere, setting and detail make me nervous and anxious to get on with it hence my initial failure but this time I am destined to prevail. I am still wrestling through McEwan’s eloquence and abundant sentences as we speak but because I liked his previous work, I’m hopeful that it’ll be w
orth it in the end. And Atonement is also considered his magnum opus so there must be something good about it (although I’m starting to wonder). For those who are interested in his other novels, I’d highly recommend The Cement Garden which is short, twisted and fascinating. Basically the perfect introduction to his work. Atonement on the other hand (I have to admit I’m a curious about the film) is more classical in the sense that it takes you by the hand and gently guides you down the yellow brick road while his other and in my opinion superior novels (also including Amsterdam and The Comfort of Strangers) catapult you into the unknown where anything is possible, just as long as you’re willing to give it a go. 
No comments:
Post a Comment