The Blind Assassin group discussion

[Alexa]

And now we turn to Margaret Atwood's Man Booker Prize winning novel!

[Kay]

I really enjoyed this book. Surprisingly, the story within a story did not confuse me, even though at times I could not figure out which sister was doing what. I was eager to find out what happened to the characters, and how they came to be where they did. There were so many themes in it as well..

[Alexa]

Sorry, I'm so far behind that I haven't gotten here yet - but I will!

[Alexa]

This one I'm planning for mid-January.

[Amanda]

I'm planning on reading this one next year but it won't be until spring but I'll check back then.

[Alexa]

Excellent!

[Alexa]

I let myself get hopelessly side-tracked - but I'm definitely reading this this month!

[Alexa]

This is quite wonderful - I'm finding its episodic nature really engaging. I wouldn't say I'm confused - I think I have a good sense of which sister is which - yet there is a certain ambiguity about the novel within the novel that I think Atwood is deliberately creating.

[Alexa]

This is interesting to categorize. On the one hand it could be described as historical fiction (and so far, if I recall correctly, the only other example of that is Alias Grace). Yet there is a strong thread of science fiction/fantasy running through it. The historical fiction isn't all that far removed from Atwood's own life - roughly about the time span of her mother's lifetime. And the viewpoint of the elderly woman just feels so real, so honest. At 61, could Atwood put herself in the shoes of an 84 year old woman? I'm really really enjoying this; this may end up being one of my favorites!

[Alexa]

This is so, so, so good! I thought The Handmaid's Tale was her masterpiece, but I may need to change my mind. It is so beautifully constructed, and is just crying out to be read all over again!

[Kay]

One of my favorite books of hers - I loved how the two narratives were intermingled and kept me in suspense but dd not confuse me. Will have to reread soon.

[Alexa]

I was also impressed by how she gave us all the facts up front (in the newspaper articles) yet without any of the emotional impact that those same events had when we truly saw them through her eyes. And, oh, the sense of dread that created in me! When you said earlier that sometimes you couldn't tell the two sisters apart, was that because you (view spoiler)[assumed the "she" in the story-within-the-story had to be Laura? (hide spoiler)]

[Kay]

I did indeed :) It wasn't a big twist (as in some other books) but I was "oh, ok, this just got more interesting."

[Alexa]

For some reason I was suspicious (a review I read maybe?), so I spent the whole time looking for clues, and there were tons of them (view spoiler)[(the book where the picture's hidden, the chestnut tree, her shopping, her clothes) (hide spoiler)] once I knew to look. At which point did you realize?

[Kay]

I didn't get it until almost the end - I thought the clothes were weird but didn't think much about it at the time - I never read any reviews before I started this book, so I wasn't expecting any twists, and just read it at face value. What is your next Atwood read going to be?

[Alexa]

I'm taking them in order (as they're posted in this folder). So next is Negotiating with the Dead, then another poetry collection, Selected Poems: 1966-1984, and then Oryx and Crake. Have you read any of those yet?

[Kay]

I have not. Although I have had the MaddAddam Trilogy for a few months now, so I think that would be next,

[Alexa]

Yes, I've been really looking forward to that! I'm thinking it might be September before I get to it though.

[Alexa]

And I'm not at all sure I'm done with The Blind Assassin yet. I'm still feeling this strong urge to read it all over again. It's just so rich and full of detail that I'm sure I missed the first time through.