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Her poetry is also great, and very dark. I disliked the protagonist until around page 50 or so, and I was glad I kept at it. I was turned on to Attwood in school. This is not one of her sci-fi, futuristic stories (which I also enjoy) but a mystery that, although it takes a while to develop, is well worth the wait.
If you love to read very descriptive and poetic literature - this book is for you. Each sentence had a nugget of creative storytelling, BUT how many pages do you need to describe how the fall air smelled by the river. I don't know how she can conjure up a setting with so many words. For me, it was a little over the top.
Brilliant writing. It still would have been a good book even if you took out 100-150 pages of fluff.I loved the disjointed pieces - I had no problem following it. Basically it was a memoir - could be anyone - and described in great detail. As the story goes, collectively, it gets a little mundane. I think the sci-fi novel within the novel was the best and unexpected part.This is the kind of book you could have on your shelf and pull out from time to time to read a random page in awe. Atwood is one very talented author.
In fact, it gave a break to the long winded descriptions. I am anxious to read her other books, though. It really is remarkable. I don't like to gloss over a page, but this kept going and going.
For no reason in particular, I hadn't read anything by Margaret Atwood until this novel. Her sister dies mysteriously in a car accident and has left only the novel behind. There are twists and hidden connections that are slowly revealed to the reader.This is a very ambitious piece of writing that, in the wrong hands, would have been a disaster. It's quite an achievement to so successfully pull of this structure in a coherent way.The basic story line is of an 83 year old woman, Iris, looking back on her past from riches to rags to riches to rags.
Atwood had not dragged out the ending as much as she did. A second main branch is in the form of excerpts from Laura's novel appropriately called The Blind Assassin. The last 40 pages or so are just wrapping everything up though the pretense still exists that all has not been fully revealed. This point lowered my rating to 4.5 stars but it really is a minor criticism.I highly recommend this to people despite how silly my plot description made the book sound. I wish Ms. That was a big mistake because The Blind Assassin is wonder of precision and craftsmanship.It is difficult to describe the plot without ruining the experience for those who haven't read it.
In the fictional novel, one character also tells tales to his lover and one of these stories actually has a blind assassin as a main character.I realize I'm making this sound like a mess because I lack the ability to describe it as clearly as Atwood.Each branch of the story has hidden connections to the others and there is intrigue, betrayal, class struggle, philosophy and several twists that are very weel written.The only real criticism I have of the novel is that once all of the twists and connections are hinted at enough for the reader to sort everything out, it continues on a bit too long. It is a very finely crafted novel and I very much admire Margaret Atwood's skill in producing it. Atwood masterfully executes multiple stories within stories while flipping back and forth between different times and settings. A lot of the main story line takes place in the 1920s and 30s as she grows up as part of the prime family in a small industrial town where the depression ultimately hits.Iris' sister Laura has written one novel which has become very famous.
I'm reading everybody's lists of best 100 books and books like this are making it worthwhile.
Just read this book, it will blow your mind. As I've titled this review, this is one of the best books I've ever read. I won't say any more about it.
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