Atonement – Ch. 26

--by Abby (ending at the end of Part III)

So we end this twisted and tragic tale.

I'm sad that we readers were not privy to Cecilia and Robbie's reunion. The short glimpse of their life together through Briony's eyes was hardly satisfying. After the long middle bit inside Robbie's head, I would have liked to see him regaining his sanity, bit by bit or in a rush when his feet hit Britain's shores or when he was finally in Cecilia's arms.

I did like Cee and Robbie's realization that they were wrong about young Hardman all these years. It seems it should soften their anger towards Briony, since the lie wasn't so extreme. The ending, with Briony's sign-off was a little melodramatic, but it does explain the bizarre and inconsistent style. How very Briony.

Based on three parts and some 400 pages, I think I'd recommend this book, but the first chapters were certainly more engaging than the second and third parts. The latter make the early chapters centered on Emily Tallis and Lola seem superfluous. I can see doing some delving into Lola's psyche so that readers can understand her silence in the accusations, but still. Why did I do all the reading about Emily Tallis' magic ability to track her family from her darkened bed? Hmmmmmm.

So there's another "chapter" coming set in 1999. One more entry coming.