Now I'm curious what your problems with Atonement were. (There are spoilers here if anyone happens on this who hasn't read it.) I'm also wondering what the people in your former book club are like that they would adore Briony. She's a narcissistic, horrible little thing, isn't she? When I started reading about her the words "budding sociopath" came to mind, but I looked up sociopath and maybe that's a bit harsh. LOL. But when she's imagining herself at her mother's funeral--creepy, detached little girl.
Even supposedly repentant, older and wiser Briony, changes the ending to one that better suits her (whatever reasoning she gives for it). The letter of events of that night that she has Robbie assign to her character struck me too; I think it's the fact that it's a task of words and so a reiteration of how she, God-like while writing, thinks she can wrest her world back into perfection (her version). Even the thought of her masterful letter-to-be softens book-Robbie into the hint of possible forgiveness to come, or at least lessens his anger.
I hadn't been at all spoiled for the story, so I didn't know what was coming. I honestly thought she might murder someone to have a wonderful dramatic centerstage moment or to fix/adjust something in her perfect world. I was worried about something happening to the twins if they messed up the play!
I found the war section jarring and read through it pretty quickly. All of a sudden the reader is taken out of this family drama and into the horrors of war and a journey of unlikely companions. Seemed like most of it belonged in a different book to me, at least at the length and detail that it was, but what do I know. :)
I agree with wenchsenior that it was unsatisfying as a story. Are we supposed to like Briony at the end? Are we supposed to think that growing up and the experiences she had as a nurse changed her that much as a person? Are we supposed to forgive her because she wishes they'd lived happily ever after and makes it so in her version? I didn't. I still saw her starring in her own self-created dramas at the hospital (as the poor, penitent nurse) and in the epilogue (as the respected novelist at the family gathering). The scene with the young soldier was touching though. But I wanted her to at least face down Lola and make her admit her part in the whole thing and she backed off both times she saw her, which was...yeah...unsatisfying.
I liked Robbie. Maybe because, of course, I felt sorry for him. I didn't like the family much at all either, barring the twins, but I don't think we're supposed to, are we? I mean, Cecilia is the only sort of likeable one and I'm not sure I forgave her for not beating the truth out of Briony! Not literally...well...maybe even literally. Or doing SOMETHING. The skip in time after the arrest was frustrating to me; I pictured Cecilia fluttering her hands in dismay, giving up and resigning herself to letter writing. Loyal maybe, but not someone I'd necessarily want in my corner in a horrible situation. I'd say that's my modern mindset, but she's not entirely conventional at least according to her mother, so... Even the ever so amiable Leon drops his friend in a hurry.
Thanks for intriguing me enough to read it. It was worth reading. Let me know if it's bad LJ etiquette to reply to old posts and I won't ramble about The Sparrow when I'm done. :)
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branchandroot
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Date: 2008-02-04 04:30 am (UTC)Even supposedly repentant, older and wiser Briony, changes the ending to one that better suits her (whatever reasoning she gives for it). The letter of events of that night that she has Robbie assign to her character struck me too; I think it's the fact that it's a task of words and so a reiteration of how she, God-like while writing, thinks she can wrest her world back into perfection (her version). Even the thought of her masterful letter-to-be softens book-Robbie into the hint of possible forgiveness to come, or at least lessens his anger.
I hadn't been at all spoiled for the story, so I didn't know what was coming. I honestly thought she might murder someone to have a wonderful dramatic centerstage moment or to fix/adjust something in her perfect world. I was worried about something happening to the twins if they messed up the play!
I found the war section jarring and read through it pretty quickly. All of a sudden the reader is taken out of this family drama and into the horrors of war and a journey of unlikely companions. Seemed like most of it belonged in a different book to me, at least at the length and detail that it was, but what do I know. :)
I agree with wenchsenior that it was unsatisfying as a story. Are we supposed to like Briony at the end? Are we supposed to think that growing up and the experiences she had as a nurse changed her that much as a person? Are we supposed to forgive her because she wishes they'd lived happily ever after and makes it so in her version? I didn't. I still saw her starring in her own self-created dramas at the hospital (as the poor, penitent nurse) and in the epilogue (as the respected novelist at the family gathering). The scene with the young soldier was touching though. But I wanted her to at least face down Lola and make her admit her part in the whole thing and she backed off both times she saw her, which was...yeah...unsatisfying.
I liked Robbie. Maybe because, of course, I felt sorry for him. I didn't like the family much at all either, barring the twins, but I don't think we're supposed to, are we? I mean, Cecilia is the only sort of likeable one and I'm not sure I forgave her for not beating the truth out of Briony! Not literally...well...maybe even literally. Or doing SOMETHING. The skip in time after the arrest was frustrating to me; I pictured Cecilia fluttering her hands in dismay, giving up and resigning herself to letter writing. Loyal maybe, but not someone I'd necessarily want in my corner in a horrible situation. I'd say that's my modern mindset, but she's not entirely conventional at least according to her mother, so... Even the ever so amiable Leon drops his friend in a hurry.
Thanks for intriguing me enough to read it. It was worth reading. Let me know if it's bad LJ etiquette to reply to old posts and I won't ramble about The Sparrow when I'm done. :)