"Atonement" is a novel by British author Ian McEwan, published in 2001. The novel is set in England during the 1930s and spans several decades, up to the 1990s. It tells the story of Briony Tallis, a young girl from a wealthy family, who falsely accuses Robbie Turner, the son of the family's housekeeper, of a crime he did not commit. The accusation leads to tragic consequences for Robbie and his lover, Briony's older sister Cecilia.