Atonement, by Ian McEwan

A clever plot that plays with multiple perspectives, unreliable narrators and an absolutely heart-breaking twist at the end. This book is about romance, victims of false accusations, the gory and disturbing atrocities of World War II at the battlefields and the hospitals in Britain. But ultimately, it is about reparation and atonement for a mistake made in childhood that had long-lasting and devastating consequences.

Was this book dyslexia-friendly?

Although I loved the plot, I felt like the first section in particular was quite challenging to read. The second and third sections were easier to follow and understand, perhaps because they are much more eventful and fast paced.

For me the story gets 5 stars, but I found the writing style challenging. I actually really enjoyed the film of Atonement, but it skips a lot of the gory war scenes that are so detailed in the book. It’s up to you whether that is a good or a bad thing!

I think that despite the writing style of the first section, the plot twist really makes this book worthwhile. It’s a devastating story of love and war, and not one with a happy ending, but you have to admire McEwan’s clever twist that makes you want to read the full book again in a different light.