Journal Entry 1 by elliemae from Hamilton, Ontario Canada on Wednesday, February 25, 2004

This is now an international book ring.

Members of the Ring:

1. elliemae (Hamilton, Ontario, Canada)
2. labmomnm (New Mexico, USA)
3. tuff517 (Texas, USA)
4. Eucalia (California, USA)
5. bronwen316 (Illinois, USA)
6. Bunnybee (Texas, USA)
6. Wilmar (The Netherlands)
7. Suzy26 (The Netherlands)
8. Digimike (The Netherlands)
9. nympha (Portugal)
10. PCSAF (Portugal) 

Journal Entry 2 by elliemae at BookRing in Book Ring, A Bookring -- Controlled Releases on Tuesday, July 27, 2004

Released on Tuesday, July 27, 2004 at BookRing in Book Ring, A Bookring Controlled Releases.

Mailed today to labmomnm in New Mexico! 

Journal Entry 3 by labmomnm from Albuquerque, New Mexico USA on Thursday, August 05, 2004

Received in the mail from elliemae - thanks! I have 1 bookring ahead of this one.

8/18/04 - I finished this last night; don't want to say too much because this could be one big spoiler! But...I liked the writing...I think McEwan has a beautiful style. I asked in "Book Talk" for opinions about Briony - if you are interested, here's the link to that discussion
http://www.bookcrossing.com/forum/6/945733/12/subj_Ian-McEwans-%22Atonement%22---have-you-read-it?
This may turn out to be like his "Enduring Love" for me; after I finished reading that book, I wasn't thrilled with it, but it has really stuck with me over the years. I can see this book having the same kind of pull over time ("Amsterdam", on the other hand - *ugh*. I want those hours of my life back!)

Thanks for sharing!


 

Journal Entry 4 by tuff517 from Elk Grove Village, Illinois USA on Thursday, August 26, 2004

Just opened the package with the book in it, will start it tonight! 

Journal Entry 5 by tuff517 from Elk Grove Village, Illinois USA on Wednesday, September 01, 2004

I couldn't remember why I wanted to read this book, usually it's from a review or synopsis I've read on Amazon.com. The book wasn't what I thought it would be, but it slowly pulled me in at first. By the end of the first part I was hooked. The second part I read through rather quickly, I wanted to see what would happen to the 'players' in the drama of the first part. I feel that Briony got what she deserved, the alienation from her sister, the anger of Robbie. There wasn't much innocence in her youthfulness, although at that point we learn her youthfulness is slipping away. Great book, very generous with descriptive narration. I hope more people want to read this! 

Journal Entry 6 by tuff517 from Elk Grove Village, Illinois USA on Saturday, September 04, 2004

On its way to Eucalia! 

Journal Entry 7 by Eucalia from Snoqualmie, Washington USA on Tuesday, September 07, 2004

This book arrived in my mailbox today! I will read it after I finish what I'm reading now. Thanks for including me in this ring! 

Journal Entry 8 by Eucalia from Snoqualmie, Washington USA on Sunday, September 12, 2004

I finished reading this book yesterday. I really enjoyed the first two sections, but didn't care much for the ending. Overall, though, wow, what a good book! I'm glad I had the chance to read this. My complete review is posted on The Book Blog in this entry. 

Journal Entry 9 by Eucalia at sent to bookcrosser in Mailed, Bookring -- Controlled Releases on Monday, September 13, 2004

Released 7 yrs ago (9/13/2004 UTC) at sent to bookcrosser in Mailed, Bookring -- Controlled Releases

WILD RELEASE NOTES:

RELEASE NOTES:

I sent this book on its way to bronwen316 today. Bye bye, book, thanks for visiting! 

Journal Entry 10 by bronwen316 from Naperville, Illinois USA on Tuesday, September 21, 2004

Arrived safely yesterday. I've started reading it today, but I'm reading another bookring at the same time. I hope to be finished in a couple of weeks.
 

Journal Entry 11 by bronwen316 from Naperville, Illinois USA on Friday, October 22, 2004

I really enjoyed the first part of this book. But the second part and the ending were hard for me to get through. It may just be that my brother is over in Iraq right now and the second part of the book is about war. But, I just couldn't get into it. I did finish it, though.
Or maybe I couldn't get into it because I just didn't like any of the characters other than Robbie. Briony, Cecilia, Lola and the twins all seemed spoiled and selfish. Robbie seemed genuine and likeable, though.
I also didn't like the ending. What really happened?

Thanks for sharing. It's on it's way to Bunnybee in Texas.

Rachel
bronwen316 

Journal Entry 12 by Bunnybee from Amarillo, Texas USA on Wednesday, October 27, 2004

Arrived in the mail today- just in time, too. My rings/rays have graciously been staggering themselves nicely. :-)

I am looking forward to trying a second book by McEwan- and hopefully I will like this one! 

Journal Entry 13 by Bunnybee from Amarillo, Texas USA on Tuesday, November 09, 2004

Just finished it last night. I liked it MUCH better than the other McEwan book I read earlier (The Comfort of Strangers) and I can tell his style must be to create detailed imagery through his writing. I had a hard time starting this book because of the intense imagery... describing every little detail of everything- and I was wanting to hurry up and start the plot already! lol!

But once it got going, it went well, and the detailed descriptions began to add to the story rather than detract from it. And once I reached the nursing part in Part Three... I was reading fairly quickly. Maybe it's because I am a nurse, too- and even though nursing has come SO far since back then... there's still alot of grunt work that makes the profession seem alot like what Briony had to go through. Sad, but true. Anyway, I enjoyed the story once it started wrapping up at the end and things fell into their places. Still not one of my favorite books, but I liked this one more than the last one I read of his. Okay- the author redeemed himself in my eyes. ;-)

Sending it today to Wilmar in The Netherlands. 

Journal Entry 14 by Wilmar from Leiden, Zuid-Holland Netherlands on Saturday, November 13, 2004

Received today (thank you Bunnybee)!
I will start reading as soon as I've finished my current book. So probabely someday next week. 

Journal Entry 15 by Wilmar from Leiden, Zuid-Holland Netherlands on Saturday, November 27, 2004

An absolutely wonderful read.
The book started slow, and the last 50 pages or so were also not that thrilling, but still I thought it was great.
It’s a cruel story, because of the details about the war, and because it’s about a love story that gets ‘interrupted’.
It totally convinced me. I believe that this story could have been true, and I think that’s what’s so good about it. Besides that I’m a very romantic person, so I loved the love affair part in it.

I loved it and I’ve decided that I’m going to buy a copy for myself.

Thank you very much for sharing elliemae. The book will continue its journey by travelling to suzy26 later on today.
 

Journal Entry 16 by Suzy26 from Delft, Zuid-Holland Netherlands on Wednesday, December 01, 2004

Found this book in my mailbox today. Thanks for the nice postcard, Wilmar! I have been wanting to read this book for so long! I cannot wait to start on it, but first I have to finish my current book (Vernon God Little) and then this one is next. Thanks for sharing this book with us, elliemae. 

Journal Entry 17 by Suzy26 from Delft, Zuid-Holland Netherlands on Friday, December 17, 2004

This is definitely one of the best novels I have read this year. It starts off a bit slow, but little by little you are completely sucked into the story and the second half simply takes your breath away. The end leaves you wondering what was real and what was fiction. I especially loved the scene in which Briony confronts Cecilia and Robbie. This is such an awkward situation, but so beautifully described! You can almost taste the tension.

I have sent this book on its way to Digimike. 

Journal Entry 18 by Digimike from Beekbergen, Gelderland Netherlands on Wednesday, December 22, 2004

Found this book in my mailbox today. A very nice gift for X-mas! And also thanks for the nice postcard and X-mascard, Suzy26! 

Journal Entry 19 by Digimike from Beekbergen, Gelderland Netherlands on Monday, January 10, 2005

I liked the book a lot, however the first 142 pages were hard for me to get through. In those pages McEwan describes a lot about the lives and views of the characters, but I could not make out what the storyline was going to be.
At the end of the book I discovered at least three storylines, which were elaborated very well and could not have been so if the first part would have been missing.
What I found very nice about the story is that it also contained a storyline about the author, including letters of editors who had the same feeling about the first part as I had: "good images" "something unique and unexplained is caught" "However (...) development is required" "our attention would have been held even more effectively had there been an underlying pull of simple narrative".
I found the second part terrible beautiful: a narrative of a fled out of hell.
The last part is a completion of two storylines (the play and the author). If one is only reading the first storyline (the love between Robbie and Cecilia and the guilt of Briony), the last part was not necessary, but I saw it as a fulfillment of the story.
After I struggled through the first part, I found I had a wonderful reward in reading the second and last part.
Thanks for sharing this book!
It is now on its way to Portugal!!!
 

Journal Entry 20 by nympha from Almada, not specified not specified on Wednesday, January 19, 2005

I've just brought this book from my mailbox!:) Thanks for Digimike for sending it and for the lovely postcard!!:D
I'll start reading as soon as possible!;) Oh, and thanks elliemae for sharing! 

Journal Entry 21 by PCSAF from Gondomar, Porto Portugal on Monday, October 17, 2005

Got it today on my mailbox. Thanks nympha for sending it!!