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Atonement, by Ian McEwan

I had previously read a few other Ian McEwan books, and quite enjoyed them, but had never sought out Atonement.

it might have something to do with the fact that Keira Knightly is in the movie adaption, and even though the movie was supposedly very well done (and it had James McAvoy in it, whom I quite like), watching Keira Knightly act drives me up the wall.
but I needed a book to read, and this was on my friend Amanda's shelf.
call it draw of the author, not of the actress.

and I'm awfully glad I read it, cause it is fabulous.

McEwan has such a lyrical way of writing, you can't help but visualize in acute and vivid detail every scene he puts down on the page. which, in my opinion, makes reading a book that much more enjoyable. when you can fully immerse yourself in the story like that.

the characters never feel false, or just inserted into the story to play a singular role in one scene and then disappear. even when the story jumps around in time and geography, the flow of the writing is never jarring.

the story may jar you a bit, but only cause you didn't see it coming.

the writing is flawless.

[and the story is pretty kick-ass too.]

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