AtonementAtonement
Score Modern
What it's about
On a hot summer day in 1935, at her family's country house in England, thirteen-year-old Briony Tallis, an aspiring writer with a vivid imagination, sees something between her older sister Cecilia and Robbie Turner, the son of the family's housekeeper, that she doesn't understand. That night, she makes an accusation that destroys their lives. The novel follows the three of them through World War II, from the retreat to Dunkirk to the hospitals of London, as Briony tries to atone.
Why it's worth reading
It won the National Book Critics Circle Award, was a Booker finalist, and is on TIME's list of the best novels and the New York Times list of the century's best. It became an Oscar-nominated film.
You'll love it if you liked
The Remains of the Day
Rebecca
The GoldfinchGood to know
The first part is slow and detailed. Avoid spoilers about the ending, which changes how you read the book.
By the numbers
- Readers34 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics98 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Bestseller49 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #64 of the 309 literary novels we rank
- #289 of the 1,573 modern books we rank
- #577 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
Moving
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Quick answers
Is Atonement worth reading?
Yes. It won the National Book Critics Circle Award, was a Booker finalist, and is on TIME's list of the best novels and the New York Times list of the century's best. It ranks #577 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 77.5 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is Atonement about?
On a hot summer day in 1935, at her family's country house in England, thirteen-year-old Briony Tallis, an aspiring writer with a vivid imagination, sees something between her older sister Cecilia and Robbie Turner, the son of the family's housekeeper, that she doesn't understand. That night, she makes an accusation that destroys their lives. The novel follows the three of them through World War II, from the retreat to Dunkirk to the hospitals of London, as Briony tries to atone.
How long does it take to read Atonement?
About 9 hours (351 pages), or about 3 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What awards has Atonement won?
NBCC Award (Fiction) winner (2002).
What should I read after Atonement?
If you liked it, try The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro, Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier or The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt.