Oryx and Crake

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It's a hit!

In the majority of dystopian novels I've read, very rarely do I get a shiver of horror and self-realization that comes with thinking "That could be... (show more)

In the majority of dystopian novels I've read, very rarely do I get a shiver of horror and self-realization that comes with thinking "That could be my world". In Oryx and Crake though, in a world that has been ripped to pieces by deregulation and hyper-advertising gone mad, the jarring familiarity and sense of absolute possibility was so strong I had to put it down a few times to think it over.

It's in this world that humanity, all except one Snowman/Jimmy, comes to an end, though by the time we are fully familiar with this world before humanity is destroyed, one almost feels that the humans deserved it, and breathes a sigh of relief. It is all orchestrated through the plans of one Crake, who attends an "Asperger Academy", dismissively calls Jimmy "neurotypical", and seems to lose himself in his own human genius. As someone with Asperger Syndrome, I felt both flattered and repulsed by Atwood's depiction of Crake as an aspie, though in many ways accurate, was a little too close to home regarding my own and many other aspies' misanthropic feelings.

It is also refreshing and interesting to read Atwood writing from a male perspective, since all the books of hers I had read previously were written from a female character's point of view. But Atwood's female voice is not smothered, it comes to life in the words of Oryx, who lived a life of unspeakable, but very realistic, horror as a child sex slave in an unnamed Asian country. Though Oryx admits no trauma and seems to just be glad to now be living the life she is, the condemnation of the people who abused and exploited her and others like her is strongly felt by author and reader alike.

Out of all the Atwood I have read so far, this stands out as one of the more intriguing, frightening ones. (show less)

 

 

by Leah Jane Grantham

No, it's a flop!

I enjoyed it but I am still confused. I think I have been reading way to many Young Adult books lately because the content of this book was occasio... (show more)

I enjoyed it but I am still confused. I think I have been reading way to many Young Adult books lately because the content of this book was occasionaly uncomfortable. I would rather read Looking For Alaska than read 5 pages of 13 year old boy fantasies. I will always keep a copy of Handmaidens Tale but I am still trying to decide if I even liked Oryx and Crake. The overall concept was very interesting the creation and destruction of Civilization and how the creating of one society is dependent on the distruction of another. And no matter how much you plan things they never turn out the way that you expect them to. I just don't like that fact that I was left with a sense of futility to life and how the status quo will cause the distruction of life as we know it. So my vote for Margarett Atwood is now neutral. (show less)

 

 

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  It's a good sign if the science fiction novel you're reading has an unusual, but well thought out environment, and this book actually has two such environments. Atwood seamlessly transitions back and forth between the future and the not-to-distant future in a series of flashbacks from a survivor named Snowman/Jimmy. In some cases this can be frustrating or confusing, but in this novel it is done in a fairly predictable fashion, so it is pretty easy to get used to.
  Many stories of this kind ... (show more)

  It's a good sign if the science fiction novel you're reading has an unusual, but well thought out environment, and this book actually has two such environments. Atwood seamlessly transitions back and forth between the future and the not-to-distant future in a series of flashbacks from a survivor named Snowman/Jimmy. In some cases this can be frustrating or confusing, but in this novel it is done in a fairly predictable fashion, so it is pretty easy to get used to.
  Many stories of this kind will have all sorts of monsters and aliens in them, but this novel actually shows why these could be created, that the changes that man would make to improve the world, even if only for some people for a short time. Brilliantly questions the connections between physiology, morality, economy, and science.
  It kind of reminds me of Cat's Cradle by Kurt Vonnegut. I'd say this novel is more dark than funny, so the format is different, but the feel is similar. Both have a somewhat sarcastic tone, a bit like, "Yeah humanity is doomed, but is that really such a bad thing?" Both also lack a clear villain; it is humanity as a whole that is villainous, and a few characters just happen to be instruments that push it over the edge.
  I didn't enjoy reading about Oryx's past life as a child sex slave. It was disturbing and uncomfortable, but also probably pretty accurate. I by no means think that it ruins the book, in fact it makes very good argument about the value of a modern world (first worlds can't exist without exploiting third worlds). It does make the book more serious and sad though, so be prepared for it.
  There were a few points that I questioned like the genetically altered glowing eyes (I would think having lights directly around your pupil would make it harder to see, like having a flashlight strapped onto your had pointed at your eyes), but most of the ideas she has seem possible and plausible, so with a little suspension of disbelief, you should really enjoy this novel. (show less)

   

   

  by Anton Mett on Mar 08, 2009 at 02:44PM

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  I found this to be a real break from the norm for Atwood, a more hard and aggressive tale about post apocalyptic world. And while her normal themes and techniques are missing, her amazing ability to develop a story and entrap the reader are still working strong. I recommend it highly for Atwood fans, if nothing else than to appreciate another aspect of her talent.

   

  by Katie Koumatos on Sep 26, 2007 at 08:54PM

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