McEwan, the oft-called master of macabre’s newest novella, On Chesil Beach, is a return to form, a short and dark novel centered around a young couple’s wedding night. While the action is well-framed and the characters are true to their setting, after a number of longer and intricate novels (like his recently film-adapted Atonement, and Saturday ), I was left seeking details that were never imagined, stories and subplots never written, for this novella. Or maybe that is the goal here, to keep me wanting more.

McEwan’s novel is based on the consequences of a single (bad) choice made by a young and observant girl. Precocious yet sheltered, she grows up understanding her responsibility and hopes to find a way to atone for the harm she has brought to her sister and her lover. I found myself caught up in Briony’s character but I did not find the other characters compelling.

I mean this book could have been better if it was not so depressing in the end. I really like happy endings. but I guess there is something to be said for the not so obvious ending.

Oh Ian McEwan, because of this novel I nearly purchased a large belt buckle at the Cheyenne Frontier Days Rodeo that was covered in hot air balloons, but then I realized that this would be a morbid act and a reminder of death in the shape of hot air balloons.

So while I did not purchase this buckle, I did enjoy this book, which kept me reading, kept me interested, and kept me guessing on what was going to happen, who to believe, and how stable the mental health of the main character is.

Tying in science writing, a childless yet love filled relationship, an obsessed and devout christian stalker, and the search for truth, we find that enduring love is not what we might have thought.

Oh Ian McEwan. You will forever be known as the author who gave the February edition of the book group, the book so commonly referred to as “The Child Rape Book”, which I still maintain is a bit of a misnomer since only three of the eight stories deal with children being raped.

Sure, you might say in most collections of short stories rarely would even a single story broach the topic of raping children – but no, not here. (Many a childs’ first love is clearly rape.)

Anyway, I surely enjoyed this book, as did most of the group, even if it was a bit … sick, twisted, haunting, what have you.

So pat already posted on this but it seems that i am also posting.

So this novel basically takes place over a few days spaced several years apart, and there is minimal action. It surrounds the consequence of a seemingly innocent observation and an attempt to grow up before it’s time. The consequences span 50 years, a war and jail time for an innocent man. Even at the end of the novel the protagonist is not cleared of her actions and has to take her atonement with her to the grave.