Atonement - Ian McEwan

In the early evening, high-altitude clouds in the western sky formed a thin yellow wash which became richer over the hour, and then thickened until a filtered orange glow hung above the giant crests of parkland trees; the leaves became nutty brown, the branches glimpsed among the foliage oily black, and the desiccated grasses took on the colors of the sky. A Fauvist dedicated to improbable color might have imagined a landscape this way, especially once sky and ground took on a reddish bloom and the swollen trunks of elderly oaks became so black they began to look blue. Though the sun was weakening as it dropped, the temperature seemed to rise because the breeze that had brought faint relief all day had faded, and now the air was still and heavy.

I have greatly enjoyed other books by McEwan, but this one left me disappointed. I didn't see the major motion picture and am not likely to do so now. This book is much longer than other McEwan books I have read and might be improved if half of it was cut out. The author is a great writer, but seems to have spent too much time focused on writing more than the characters or the story. McEwan's books involve deep emotions, but in Atonement, these are buried under too many words and unnecessary descriptions. I debated all the way through my reading to whether to stop reading or continue. I finished the book, but am not sure I made the right decision. However, don't hesitate to read other books by McEwan which are excellent.