Atonement by Ian McEwan

I wanted to read this book before I watch the movie. It is the story of a British family's disintegration as told by several members of the family as well as  childhood friend of theirs. There is the usual class stuff, which annoys me. Can Brits write about anything else?  But the telling of the tale from the 11 year old Briony who misjudges the relationship of Robbie with her sister Cecilia and her cousin Lola is well done. The young budding author and playwright, is convinced that Robbie has committed several crimes attacking both Cecilia and Lola. She has misunderstood the situation and Robbie is sent to prison for a crime he did not commit.  Cecilia cuts herself off from her family. I was less enamoured with the telling of Robbie's point of view when he is a soldier in France retreating from the collapse of the country during WW II after his prison sentence.  His painful retreat to meet up with Cecilia once again was a long tale and  a bit out of place.  The author relished talking about war equipment and gory wounds and frightened French peasants.  It seemed a little too easy for Briony in the end to have gained atonement through her work as a nurse in the war and telling her parents and the legal authorities that she had lied.  She continues to live a long life, but her Cecilia and Robbie die untimely deaths before the war is over.