Helpful Score: 2
Great earlier Atwood at her most feminist.
Helpful Score: 1
I read this in a Women's Lit class. Incredible book, though can be a bit confusing, but well worth the time and effort.
Helpful Score: 1
I read this in a Women's Literature class. I would've enjoyed it less without the guidance of the class instructor, who inundated us with recent Canadian history and culture that better contextualized this story.
What most impressed me was the quiet tone and ordinary phrasing that almost masked the pain of the narrator. The prose just flows smoothly, but there are memories and deeper meanings enough to choke on occasionally.
What most impressed me was the quiet tone and ordinary phrasing that almost masked the pain of the narrator. The prose just flows smoothly, but there are memories and deeper meanings enough to choke on occasionally.
Helpful Score: 1
Margaret Atwood is one of my favorite authors, and this book was just as well-written and evocative as any of her others. To an extent, however, given the themes of this book, it worked to its discredit. The protagonist is disconnected--both in a literal sense (going to an island in the Canadian wilds where the closest town is majority French-Canadian leaving her at a loss for most communication when she *does* go in) and emotionally (not making ties with those around her).
And given that it was a first person narrative and the themes of this disconnect were SO well-done, I really found I didn't care. It was easy to put the book aside and just stop forgetting about this woman who so effectively separated herself from so many others.
It was important and thought provoking, but I didn't like it.
And given that it was a first person narrative and the themes of this disconnect were SO well-done, I really found I didn't care. It was easy to put the book aside and just stop forgetting about this woman who so effectively separated herself from so many others.
It was important and thought provoking, but I didn't like it.
Helpful Score: 1
A must read for any Atwood fan.
