ATONEMENT
Ian McEwan
Characters
Briony Tallis
Because the book is written from Briony's point of view, the book does a much better job of creating empathy and understanding for her motivations and actions.
Cecilia Tallis
Cecillia is played by Keira Knightly in the film, although I think she's a great actress her character comes across much more stuck up then what I felt from her character in the novel.
Robbie Turner
Mrs. Turner is one of the charecters I felt translted very well from novel to film. The only noticeable change I could identify was that Robbie's character in the novel came across a little darker.
Setting
The novel opens on the dreamy property of the Tallis family estate in Surrey, a county in southeast England. It’s a summer day with an atmosphere of celebration.
It’s set during and just before World War II; its action takes place in 1935 and 1940. The main events of the story are in Part 1 at the Tallis estate in the English summer heat of 1935, it’s written with great romantic style and detail. Part 2 takes place 5 years latter following one the three main protagonists, Robbie Turner a soldier in France during the war, and part 3 picks up with 18 year-old Briony who is in London signing up to become a nurse.
Over All Similarities
- Major characters
- Sequence order of story
- General plot line
- Much of the dialog is directly quoted
Over All Differences
- War sences are short compilations in the film (exspected for time reasons)
- Jack Tallis character is only mentioned in the film
- The twins runaway not is found by Briony at the dinner table, not in their room as the film shows
- Briony prefers ink on paper, rather then a type writer used in the film
- When Briony is a nurse she keeps a journal, as aposed to the type writer in the film
- Emily Tallis is left undeveloped in the film
Critical Acclaim
- One of the Observer's 100 best novels written
- #82 of 100 on EW best books in the past 25 years
- Won 2002 Los Angeles Times book prize for best fiction
Film
- Nominated for 7 Golden Globes
- Won Best Motion PIcture
- Nominated for 14 BAFTA Awards
- Nominated for 7 Academy Awards