Atonement- Book Review

If you knew for a fact that you'd ruined someone's life- two lives, really- how would you make amends? 

 The book is mainly based on one action- one decision, one moment, one crime- that is to be followed by life-changing consequences that would affect every character in the plot over the course of six decades. 

The development of its plot stems from the extraordinary imaginations of a creative young girl named Briory Tallis. 13, naive and uncertain, Briory is a young writer who used to have a crush on Robbie Turner when she was younger. After peeking through a love letter that Robbie intended for Cecilia, Briory's sister, Briory encounters a passionate love scene involving the two adults. Briory, who felt betrayed by Robbie twice, witnesses a rape scene involving Lola, also her sister. Though she did not see the face of the rapist, she made believe that she clearly saw the rapist's face and he was Robbie. Her testimony of that imagination as reality sent Robbie to jail- which eventually turned out to be the novel's point of no return. 

Atonement is certainly one of the most brilliant books I have read, with a lot of surprises and sequences of events that I did not expect. After their 30 minute get-together, it was meant to be that Robbie and Cecilia were never to meet each other again. Also ironically, Lola ended up marrying the real rapist. Cecilia ended up disowning her whole family. Those are all the consequences of one decision making from Briory that produced an endless chain of tragic outcomes. 

It all started from a romantic story, as it was originally supposed to be, that was inspired by the scene at the fountain. The conclusion in real life is far from being romantic. The novel provides a perfect example of fiction vs real life. Atonement, appropriately the name of the novel, is what Briory desperately tries to provide with but never succeeds. As the atoning gesture of her own, she concludes her romance story that set off the most bizarre and heartbreaking series of events by letting Cecilia and Robbie reunite and live happily ever after.. in fiction!

Imagination is a beautiful part of mind that only humans are capable of. But one split second can be all it takes to make a world of difference!

Torn apart by betrayal; Separated by war; Bound by love- Atonement.....