Historical fiction

Atonement by Ian McEwan

A review by Ana Lechman

This book belongs to the historical fiction genre and can loosely be placed in the mystery genre. It follows the lives of three characters and how they were affected by a crime that took place on a hot summer day in 1936. It explores the repercussions of that crime, and chronicles the characters’ experiences through World War II, ending at the close of the twentieth century. I found the plot very intriguing, and that, in league with the fact that the movie stars James McAvoy & Keira Knightley, two fantastic actors, prompted me to pick up this book. I was immediately captured by McEwan’s writing. It was beautiful. Each sentence was crafted with thought and intention. He went into great detail when setting the scene and describing the characters, which added a lot to the story. He also explored thought and the human psyche with considerable depth and insight. This book was also very well balanced, it had a harmonious ending, allowing the reader to experience a sense of closure. Though, despite the fact that it was a masterpiece prose-wise, I felt as if it were lacking something. I found myself a bit bored at times, not as enchanted with the scene McEwan set. I attribute this to the fact that I expected something a little more exciting, partly because I have been reading a lot of plot-driven novels lately. I still enjoyed the book, but I think I would have liked it better had I known what to expect. With this in mind, I still liked reading this book and recommend it.

7/10

Pulp

Novel by Robin Talley

This book takes place in two different times. Half of the story took place in 1955 in Washington DC. The main character in this time was Janet Jones. Janet was a lesbian in the 50s which was a very hard thing to do. If someone found out that you were gay you would be considered a communist and you would have a very harsh punishment. Because of that Janet was hiding her relationship with Marie. Janet Jones found a book on a bus station that was a lesbian pulp fiction book. Janet right after that decided she was going to write her own lesbian pulp fiction book. Then the Pulp flashes forward to Abby Zimet and she is decided she was going to do her senior project of this book The Women of the Twilight Realm, which Janet Jones wrote. This is an amazing book, it shines a light into the life of an lesbian in the 50s and it shows how much has changed. I would give this book a 8/10. I really loved the story but the plot was lacking. I think that the plot could have developed a little quicker. There was a lot more the author could have added but did not that would have made the story even more amazing. It was already really good and I would recommend it to you if you like books that are quick and impressionable. This will not be a book that will change your life, but it will let you take a glimpse in what life would have been like for a lesbian in the 50s, and for that it is amazing.

• Iris Barkett

The Scarlet Letter

Novel by Nathaniel Hawthorne

This book surrounds the life of Hester Prynne in Colonial America. From the very first page, the novel jumps into the plot with the release of Hester from jail where she has just given birth to a child. She is brought to the town and told to reveal the father, but refuses, whom she has become an adulteress with while her husband was gone. When she refuses, the novel then spends the following years as a mystery of who is the father. I quite enjoyed the novel due to the mystery, romance, and well-written structure. Additionally, due to the historical time period, the child is labeled a devil's span. Nathaniel Hawthorne does a wonderful job of writing metaphors and symbolism for the devil due to the complicated religion of the colonial period. From the use of water to show witches, clever diction, and satisfying conclusion, the book is a good find. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who is willing to put in the time. It is quite a hard read, but the symbolism and deeper meaning is worth the patience. Although I may have loved the book, almost all English teachers will agree that they will not teach it. This is due to the time commitment and general hatred for the book in common culture.

• Millie Johnson