Oryx and Crake (MaddAddam, #1) in Ultimate Popsugar Reading Challenge

May 10, 2011 Angie rated it liked it

Shelves: audio

Re-read April 2025
You know what the easiest way to get me to read a book is? "Ban" it! Oryx and Crake has been removed from all Utah public schools, and I couldn't remember from my reading of it years ago, what might have been contained within to warrant the book crossing the "bright line rule" of the sensitive materials law. So I got ahold of the audiobook version and revisited Jimmy and the Crakers. Listening might have made the first half a marginally better experience than my first read. I s Re-read April 2025
You know what the easiest way to get me to read a book is? "Ban" it! Oryx and Crake has been removed from all Utah public schools, and I couldn't remember from my reading of it years ago, what might have been contained within to warrant the book crossing the "bright line rule" of the sensitive materials law. So I got ahold of the audiobook version and revisited Jimmy and the Crakers. Listening might have made the first half a marginally better experience than my first read. I stand by my 3* overall though - not my favorite but definitely an interesting read. Back to the Utah "objective sensitive materials" decision to remove from school libraries - this book definitely has some really disturbing content related to genetic engineering and a dystopian world. But those things don't cross the line. The law indicates that any "description or depiction" of "acts of human masturbation, sexual intercourse, or sodomy" cross the line and require immediate removal from all Utah schools. Without specifics, this book did reference masturbation (no graphic description or depiction, but it was clear what was happening), and sex is mentioned, including child prostitution (which was horrifying, but again not written with graphic description or depiction of the acts, just an understanding that it was happening). Do I think this is a book that was written and intended specifically for a high school student audience? Not at all. Do I think adding the book to the "banned" list will intrigue students who otherwise wouldn't have given this book a second glance? Yep. Am I immensely grateful to be an elementary librarian rather than a high school librarian so that I don't have to deal with collection development and collection management issues regarding books like these? ABSOLUTELY!

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First read - 2011
This one took me weeks to get into. I rarely take longer than a week to read an entire book, let alone weekS to read the first half of one. I just couldn't get my brain into this one for the longest time. The first half was a lot of chaos and set-up and it was actual work for me to read. I'd fall asleep whenever I tried to read a few pages. This was a book club selection that was so far out of the realm of normal for me that I really struggled with it. But there was a point about halfway into the book where things changed and really picked up and engaged me right through to the end. Overall it was a totally fascinating book, very thought-provoking in regards to what the world could be like if we continue on our current path. It covered a lot of could-be-real, slippery slope type of topics (genetic engineering specifically) in a really mesmerizing, often extremely disturbing way. For those who care, it's got quite a lot of R-rated language and imagery, but interestingly, not a lot (if any, actually?) of taking the Lord's name in vain. I'm not sure who to recommend this one to. If you enjoy futuristic, science-fictiony, post-apocalyptic type stuff this one will probably be right up your alley. ...more

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