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 120th greatest book of all time
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Total Points: 1563
This book was first published in 2001
24 Lists
- score: 150 -- 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die - 2006 (Weight: 150)
- score: 109 -- The 100 Greatest British Novels - 2015 (Weight: 105)
- score: 107 -- The 21st Century's 12 Greatest Novels - 2015 (Weight: 97)
- score: 97 -- 100 Books to Read in a Lifetime - 2014 (Weight: 97)
- score: 90 -- The Greatest Books of All Time - 2022 (Weight: 90)
- score: 90 -- 222 Best Books of All Time That Deserve a Spot on Your Bookshelf, With Picks from Bestselling Authors and Indie Booksellers - 2024 (Weight: 90)
- score: 78 -- A Premature Attempt at the 21st Century Canon - 2018 (Weight: 75)
- score: 78 -- 100 Essential Books - 2009 (Weight: 78)
- score: 68 -- Top 10 British, Irish or Commonwealth Novels from 1980 to 2005 - 2006 (Weight: 52)
- score: 67 -- The Big Read - 2003 (Weight: 67)
- score: 64 -- The 100 Greatest Novels - 2007 (Weight: 63)
- score: 63 -- The 100 Greatest Novels of All Time: The List - 2003 (Weight: 63)
- score: 63 -- TIME Magazine All Time 100 Novels - 2005 (Weight: 63)
- score: 62 -- The Millions: The Best Fiction of the Millennium - 2009 (Weight: 60)
- score: 61 -- The 100 best books of the 21st century - 2019 (Weight: 60)
- score: 60 -- As if You Don't Have Enough to Read, Fiction Edition - 2011 (Weight: 60)
- score: 52 -- The Best Books of the 2000s - 2009 (Weight: 52)
- score: 49 -- The Telegraph’s 100 Novels Everyone Should Read - 2009 (Weight: 48)
- score: 48 -- Modern classics: 11 novels that belong in the classroom - 2012 (Weight: 48)
- score: 39 -- Paste Magazine's Best Books of the Decade(2000-2009) - 2009 (Weight: 37)
- score: 37 -- Books of the Decade - 2009 (Weight: 37)
- score: 15 -- National Book Critics Circle Award - Fiction - Yearly Book Award (Weight: 15)
- score: 11 -- The New Classics - 100 Best Reads from 1983 to 2008 - 2008 (Weight: 11)
- score: 1 -- The 100 Best Books of the Decade(2000) - 2009 (Weight: 1)