Blind Assassin

A densely packed whirlwind of a story, "The Blind Assassin" would be just about perfect except for when Ms. Atwood reverts the narrative to a fictional novel-within-a-novel (called, appropriately enough, "The Blind Assassin") which ultimately explained the amazingly thought out plot of the actual novel, but was incredibly confusing. The story, told primarily in flashback, examines the accident...more

A densely packed whirlwind of a story, "The Blind Assassin" would be just about perfect except for when Ms. Atwood reverts the narrative to a fictional novel-within-a-novel (called, appropriately enough, "The Blind Assassin") which ultimately explained the amazingly thought out plot of the actual novel, but was incredibly confusing. The story, told primarily in flashback, examines the accident (er, suicide) of a woman in the thirties as she drives off a bridge, as told by the older sister of this woman. I don't think I've read a more imaginative, well plotted novel in quite some time...a little paring here and there would've helped move the story along tremendously. Still an absolutely fascinating read.   hide

very strange!

I like Atwood, I like pulp fiction, I like stories-within-stories, I like all the ingredients but in the end: this was boring and trite.

Not my personal "favorite" of Atwood's webs for the simple fact that I found the first third of the book awkward and uneven. However, Atwood's imagery, empathy and capacity for understanding is just as remarkable as ever. She is so poetic and honest in her writing. The beginning is a struggle, but once you hit the halfway point, you'll be hard pressed to put the book down....more

Not my personal "favorite" of Atwood's webs for the simple fact that I found the first third of the book awkward and uneven. However, Atwood's imagery, empathy and capacity for understanding is just as remarkable as ever. She is so poetic and honest in her writing. The beginning is a struggle, but once you hit the halfway point, you'll be hard pressed to put the book down. It's here (at the halfway point) that the story gathers the necessary steam it needs to drive home, and once it hooks you, it holds tight and molests you in the best possible way. The story is a little obvious and predictable at times, however there are still some tricky surprises (though usually they are slight gems, sublte and few; which could lead to a sense of unfulfillment or disappointment). However, by the time you reach the end it's clear that Atwood doesn't care if you figured it out long ago. It's not about what "happened." It's about how what happened brought our characters to the place they're at now. It's a stitch more about effect than cause. Afterall... it is called The Blind Assassin. It's not her best book, but it's better than a lot of the books I've read. The book is just a tad too long. At times the story moves too slowly. There is some rambling, but ultimately it's all worth it. Because in it's best moments The Blind Assassin is a gorgeous read; full of cuation and fantasy. But reader beware... this book also carries the power to destroy... and that's just one third of it's charm.   hide