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The Blind Assassin

Margaret Atwood

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Apr 22, 2020 Nat rated it really liked it

Finally! Finally I have finished this book which has haunted my dreams these many years!

I have tried and failed to read this book at least three times. Finally, this time I said I would finish it, or I would die trying, and I have managed to make it to the end. The thing is, it's a well written book. I've always liked Atwood's work, which is what made it so painful to struggle with this one. It's just that it's so long, and basically for the whole thing, nothing is happening. The story that the Finally! Finally I have finished this book which has haunted my dreams these many years!

I have tried and failed to read this book at least three times. Finally, this time I said I would finish it, or I would die trying, and I have managed to make it to the end. The thing is, it's a well written book. I've always liked Atwood's work, which is what made it so painful to struggle with this one. It's just that it's so long, and basically for the whole thing, nothing is happening. The story that the man is telling at the beginning about the blind assassin was to me the best part and I wanted badly to get back to that, but instead we had to sit through endless pages of Iris either a) bemoaning the process of old age and buying lots of food that she never finished or b) telling us all about her long, dull, and sad childhood. It was just really hard to get invested in this story.

To add to that, the things that were "twists" seemed pretty obvious from pretty early on. For one, (view spoiler). For the second, (view spoiler).

There was also a lot that was very good here, and that was what kept me reading. Iris and Laura in particular are such real, dimensional characters and you really feel for the way they're trapped by expectations and understanding of what women have to be. And the whole thing is beautifully written, and the innermost story with the blind assassin is particularly lovely. Thinking back on the story after having finished, all the little details resonate so clearly and intimately with the story. This was very sad and yet hopeful, somehow, at the end. That the truth might finally come to light and that, hopefully, Iris might find some peace, unmoored from other people's needs and expectations. ...more

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Nov 11, 2011 John Swanson added it

Jun 21, 2012 WildFlower3D marked it as maybe-babies · review of another edition

Shelves: _classic_contemporary_old-school

Nov 02, 2016 Lekshmy marked it as to-read

Aug 21, 2011 Annmarie McQueen marked it as to-read

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