Margaret Atwood

Blush_01

Having just finished Oryx and Crake, I'm officially a fan. For years I avoided her fiction as I had only ever heard her mentioned in terms of textual criticism (which I have no great love for) but I finally bit the bullet, so to speak, and I'm glad that I did.

I've moved on to The Handmaid's Tale, with Bluebeard's Egg and Cat's Eye waiting in the wings. Does anyone have any recommendations as to what I should read then?

I also loved Margaret Lawrence's The Diviners. If anyone has any recommendations regarding her fiction too...

dudara

I love Atwood.

Try the Robber Bride, Alias Grace and the Penelopaeid to get a taste of the variety of her writing.

Blush_01

Will do. Thanks.

rain on

I find her very hit and miss -- when she's good, she's unputdownable, when she's bad, she's unfinishable. I nearly met her once but got a fit of the shyness and hid behind a door while my friend got her to sign a poster for me.

Anyway, I would say..

Brilliant: The Robber Bride, Oryx and Crake

Quite good: Cat's Eye

Meh: The Handmaid's Tale, The Penelopiad, Lady Oracle, The Edible Woman

Got too bored to finish: The Blind Assassin, Alias Grace

Alime

Hi Rain on,

Too bad you gave up on The Blind Assassin. This is the kind of book which bores you until you get into it (it usually happens after the first half) but after that you can not stop until you get to the end and it leaves you " naked".

Alime

:eek: Next book I am going to read is Moral Disorder, hope will enjoy it, the title is promising...

rain on

I read nearly all of it though, I was more than three-quarters of the way through it when I went "oh god, I really can't be arsed spending any more time on this.."

Alime

:eek: Now that you've mentioned it, I think the exciting part actually started after more than three-quarters...ok, dont want to push you:) after all i have not read Atwood books categorized as brilliant by you:o

Blush_01

I'm waiting for some more of her books to arrive from e-bay. Can't wait.

Knee-Vee

I didn't like the Blind Assassin, loved A Handmaid's Tale. Do want to take a look at The Tent.

Stargal

My two favourites are Cat's Eye and The Blind Assassin. Cat's Eye always gets under my skin with the descriptions of the power games and bullying that goes on between the girls; plus a bit like the Blind Assassin, the main character isn't very likable. Agree that you have to give the Blind Assassin a bit of time - it's definitely worth it in the end.

Esmereldina

stargal wrote:

My two favourites are Cat's Eye and The Blind Assassin. Cat's Eye always gets under my skin with the descriptions of the power games and bullying that goes on between the girls; plus a bit like the Blind Assassin, the main character isn't very likable. Agree that you have to give the Blind Assassin a bit of time - it's definitely worth it in the end.

I like pretty much all of Margaret Atwood -- have read all the novels 'cept for the Penelopiad, which I must get around to soon
The Blind Assassin is a bit of work at first, and never as compelling as her others, but I stil enjoyed it! I found Oryx and Crake particularly compelling. I think it gets my for today... though as you're reading it, I suppose the feelings are more like ...

Red Hand

Well, it's official. She is writing a new book set in the universe seen in Oryx and Crake and The Year of the Flood. It'll be released in 2013 and is called MaddAdam (you'll know what this refers to if a fan of Oryx and Crake.

Dibble

Another vote here for The Blind Assassin. I loved this book.

emeraldstar

Dibble wrote: »

Another vote here for The Blind Assassin. I loved this book.

Have this sitting at home but am a bit loathe to start, as I didn't really enjoy The Handmaid's Tale, despite hearing that it was great, and TBA looks at least three or four times as long!