Ian McEwan

First Love, Last Rites

In Between the Sheets

The Cement Garden

The Comfort of Strangers

Three Plays for Television

The Imitation Game

Or Shall We Die?

The Ploughman's Lunch

The Child in Time

A Move Abroad

Soursweet

A Novel

The Innocent

Black Dogs

The Daydreamer

The Short Stories

Enduring Love

Amsterdam

25 Best Historical Fiction Books - Novels Inspired By History

60 Best Historical Fiction Novels of All Time | Reedsy Discovery

On a warm day in 1935, young Briony Tallis is disappointed by the performance of her play by her cousins, pushing her to abandon playwriting and move towards adulthood. Her sister, Cecilia, returns home from her graduation, experiencing a strained interaction with Robbie, their charlady's son, leading Briony to misunderstand the situation. As Robbie realizes his feelings for Cecilia, he accidentally entrusts Briony with an inappropriate letter for Cecilia, which she reads and misunderstands further. When Cecilia and Robbie admit their feelings for each other, Briony walks in on them, misinterpreting their passion as violence. 

During dinner, when the twin cousins disappear, Briony stumbles upon Lola, one of the cousins, being assaulted. She impulsively accuses Robbie, leading to his arrest. After serving three years in jail, Robbie enlists in the army in exchange for his early release. He and Cecilia maintain their relationship through letters, with Cecilia cutting off her family for their part in his wrongful conviction. Robbie clings to a hopeful future while facing the horrors of war. Meanwhile, Briony trains to become a nurse, grappling with guilt over her false accusation.

Years later, Briony, now a nurse, is overwhelmed with guilt over the injustice she perpetrated. She's further shamed when she realizes that Paul Marshall, now married to Lola, was the real perpetrator of the assault. Briony attempts to right her wrong by promising to revise her testimony, but unfortunate circumstances prevent her from doing so. As an old woman, Briony is faced with the realization that her attempts at atonement have been in vain. She writes a novel in an attempt to provide the happy ending that Cecilia and Robbie were denied in real life, knowing it can only be published posthumously. In her final moments, she imagines a joyous gathering, with Cecilia and Robbie present, signifying her yearning for the peace she deprived them of.

Ian McEwan Books in Order (29 Book Series)

First Love, Last Rites

In Between the Sheets

The Cement Garden

The Comfort of Strangers

The Imitation Game

Three Plays for Television

Or Shall We Die?

The Ploughman's Lunch

The Child in Time

A Move Abroad

Soursweet

The Innocent

A Novel

Black Dogs

A Novel

The Daydreamer

The Short Stories

Enduring Love

A Novel

Amsterdam

A Novel

Atonement

A Novel

Saturday

On Chesil Beach

For You

Solar

Sweet Tooth

A Novel

The Children Act

My Purple Scented Novel

Nutshell

A Novel

Machines Like Me

A Novel

Science

The Cockroach

Lessons

A Novel

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