The Blind Assassin: A Novel

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I don’t think that however long I made this review of Margaret Atwood’s Man Booker Winner ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’ I could ever hope to cover all the ... (show more)

I don’t think that however long I made this review of Margaret Atwood’s Man Booker Winner ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’ I could ever hope to cover all the book is trying to say, the themes it covers, the many voices it has. I actually think a task like that with a book like this would be impossible. That isn’t a cop out at all as I am going to try mu hardest to condense everything I have taken away from what is a magnificent book but by no means an easy book. I have actually been really surprised at how many people have said to me ‘oh I didn’t like that book at all’ and ‘oh it’s Atwood’s worst, it really is’ I can see why people make the first comment, I whole heartedly disagree with them but I can see why people might not like this book. If the latter comment is true after reading this book I could easily become an Atwood-a-holic as if this is her worst her best will be mind blowing.

The Blind Assassin starts with Iris Chase describing and remembering her sister Laura’s death after she drove herself off a bridge. From this dark and interesting start we are told the story in alternating parts. Iris narrates her own personal history, the story of her sisters life and their backgrounds that made them who they are. The other parts are told through Laura’s very own novel ‘The Blind Assassin’ (so a book within a book) published after her early death along with newspaper cuttings about the Chase Sisters and events in their lives. Has that confused anyone? It confused me a little at first especially as the Laura’s book ‘The Blind Assassin’ (the book within Atwood’s book) has a character who tells another story, so a story within the story within the story, that is set in a foreign world (which I thought had shades of The Handmaid’s Tale) and is like a dark science fiction like fairy tale, wonderful. Do not let the confusion or the words ‘science fiction’ put you off as I promise you persevere with this book and it pays off in dividends. It just needs some effort from the reader, but should every book no matter what you read.

As all these different elements are woven together so wonderfully by Atwood we see a picture emerging, however the picture changes dependent on who’s version you here until finally you think the full picture has formed and then it shifts slightly, that’s all I will say. Through the narration of Iris in particular, who is a wonderful slightly outrageous and sarcastic old lady compared to her timid youth “I’m not senile… if I burn the house down it will be on purpose”, we get a history of Canada and its changes in the 20th century, a look at how companies were taken over and ruined, and the rights of women and how they have changed. Like I said to cover every subject, theme or voice in this particular book in one review after only one full read through of the book I would say is pretty much impossible.

Along the way through happy and dark times, different voices and 633 pages of quite small print Atwood also treats us to a host of wonderful characters. Be they the tongue-less mute and her Blind Assassin in the fairytale, to the wonderful characters in both Iris and Laura Clarke’s lives such as the firm but fair housekeeper Reenie or Iris’ awful but wonderful to read sister-in-law Winifred. There is a whole host of wonderful characters to keep you reading on, and I will admit for some reason pages 200 – 300 were a strange struggle for me but the characters kept me going and I am so, so glad they did.

I would recommend this book to everyone and anyone. I am aware some people will think I must be crazy. My advice would be take it slowly, persevere and don’t see this book as a book to race through so you have read a Man Booker, or read one of Atwood’s biggest books (both in length and in sales) relax with it and work at it, you’ll be glad you did, I was. (show less)

 

 

by Simon Savidge

No, it's a flop!

Honestly, I was bored by this book, and I usually like Atwood's work. I recognize that the pace of the novel reflected the narrator's age and perso... (show more)

Honestly, I was bored by this book, and I usually like Atwood's work. I recognize that the pace of the novel reflected the narrator's age and personality. I do admire the rich descriptiuve turns of the pen that the author comes up with, and her way of capturing the complexities of relationships with others, but I spent the first third of the novel confused as to who was doing what and to whom, and the last two thirds just wishing I was finished already. After The Handmaid's Tale, which was a thought provoking and fascinating story, this one was a let down. Not a bad book, but not a good one either, at least not for me right now. (show less)

 

 

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  Midway through Blind Assassin I remarked via Twitter that Margaret Atwood drives her narrative forward with a cattle prod of barely disguised fury. Someone responded to my tweet by saying he'd once seen Atwood asked, "Do you consider yourself an angry writer?" To which she replied, "Have you read my stuff?" (For more tweety book stuff, visit http://www.twitter.com/literotaur ...)

  The plot of Blind Assassin is structured around the mystery of what really happened to Lau... (show more)

  Midway through Blind Assassin I remarked via Twitter that Margaret Atwood drives her narrative forward with a cattle prod of barely disguised fury. Someone responded to my tweet by saying he'd once seen Atwood asked, "Do you consider yourself an angry writer?" To which she replied, "Have you read my stuff?" (For more tweety book stuff, visit http://www.twitter.com/literotaur ...)

  The plot of Blind Assassin is structured around the mystery of what really happened to Laura Chase, a young woman who drove off a bridge in 1946. And much of the Blind Assassin takes place during the Depression, and this makes this novel weirdly unsettling in unexpected ways when read today (Atwood wrote it in 2000). The book's narrator, Laura's sister Iris, has spent her entire life keeping secrets, and she's about to begin naming names; but, as the reader will learn, only on her own time.

  Atwood mixes Iris's tale with segments of a novel-within-a-novel about a pair of nameless lovers who entertain themselves with sci-fi short stories. The stories, when they work, as in the Peach Women tale, are akin to the best Vonnegut. Yet this is a dangerous structure, as one narrative thread can end up suffering from the comparison; and indeed, somewhere near the midpoint of the book, I found myself remarking that I had tired of Iris's story, and I wanted more of the novel-within-a-novel.

  When the narrative did drag, it was usually during an Iris-in-present-day vignette that, while well written, detracted from the more pressing questions, and the more interesting (and anger-fueled) subplots. That said, this is an ambitious work that is laudable even if flawed, and it warrants much of the attention it gets -- although I'm not sure if it is, as the jacket says, "the best book of the new millennium," but hey, there are still 992 years more to go, right? (show less)

   

  by Bryan VanDyke on Apr 09, 2009 at 03:26AM

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  I first read this last year in a time when I was reading a hell of a lot (roughly two full-length books a day). As a result, I have very little memory of the plotlines and the wonders of many of the books I had read and am on a mission to reread some of them. After first coming across Margaret Atwood when I read The Handmaid's Tale at the age of 14 and later, Cat's Eye. Both of these enchanted me and introduced me to an author who is definitely one of the great contemporary writers of her tim... (show more)

  I first read this last year in a time when I was reading a hell of a lot (roughly two full-length books a day). As a result, I have very little memory of the plotlines and the wonders of many of the books I had read and am on a mission to reread some of them. After first coming across Margaret Atwood when I read The Handmaid's Tale at the age of 14 and later, Cat's Eye. Both of these enchanted me and introduced me to an author who is definitely one of the great contemporary writers of her time.

  This book is told by Iris Chase who we learn early on once had a sister, Laura who died after the car she was driving plunged into the river. Iris acts as the narrator for this story which flashes back and forth between a childhood and eventual adulthood with Laura as well as an older Iris remembering those years while she suffers from a heart condition. The book is at first a clear picture of a suicide by an unusual but psychologically compelling sister in Laura. The book, however, takes the reader on an intricately woven tale of the perils of high society and the blind attitude which perpetuated the era in which the story is set.An interesting social commentary of the 20th century can also be drawn from the book which has a history from the beginning of World War I to the present day in a world perhaps more than ever dominated by greed and violence.

  The story is aided by a novel apparently written by Laura called The Blind Assassin which informs the reader of a certain romantic situation and brings in the science fiction element which is present in so many of Atwood's books.

  Atwood is one of the few authors who can get away with using an entire paragraph to tell you that plants are growing. She has an exceptional gift with literary word play which first became clear to me while reading The Handmaid's Tale. Her words flow beautifully and do not detract from the storyline but rather generously feed it. The book comes to an astonishing close, chilling the reader and stripping down the barriers of understanding.

  Definitely one of my favourite books. Read it or miss out. (show less)

   

   

  by Facebook User on Dec 26, 2009 at 09:59AM

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