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Liked It2 of 2 members found this review helpful “If you have ever been bullied, or you think your child has been, this book is a must read!” see full review » see other reviews » |
Didn’t Like It “After reading Handmaid's Tale this was a bit of a let down. I think I should try it again.” see full review » see other reviews » |
Newest Reviews
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“My first Margaret Atwood!”
Boko wrote this review 3 weeks ago. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“4.5 stars”
Candice wrote this review Friday, April 13, 2012. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No“After reading Handmaid's Tale this was a bit of a let down. I think I should try it again.”
DaShannon L wrote this review Friday, February 10, 2012. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“This is a book I will read again, and I think perhaps on second read it may move up to 5 stars. It is a book I want to remember, ponder, as any good reflection on a life should be pondered.”
MDP wrote this review Sunday, January 15, 2012. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“Clearly a precursor to the Blind Assassin in its delivery. I appreciated the character development, especially with the lead character's brother, Stephen. I also liked the heavy searching for identity by the lead character. To sum it up, I feel this was a delayed, disturbed search for identity by an adolescent female. It seems like every other page there was some note or point about little girls needing to keep away from creepy, shadowy men.”
Stephen wrote this review Monday, November 28, 2011. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“9---'chick' book; perfectly captured feelings of growing up and the tenuous nature of female relationships”
Veronica wrote this review Monday, October 31, 2011. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“3.5 STARS This novel is a fictional-autobio of Atwood's childhood which shows a bit a vulnerable side. I read this for a Women Studies course and I thought I would HATE it but found myself absorbed. ”
Kris wrote this review Sunday, October 16, 2011. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“This is the first Atwood I've read and although I didn't think it was fabulous I will try her again as there was qualities in this I enjoyed.
fourcats wrote this review Monday, August 29, 2011. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
The premise of the novel is that Elaine Risley returns to Toronto to attend a retrospective show of her work and this turns into her looking back on her youth. Elaine grew up in the 50's and her parents travelled for her father's work (entymologist). When they settle she makes friends with Grace, Carol and Cordelia and it is this friendship which is at the heart of the book. Cordelia is a bully and she and the two others take out their own dis-satisfactory lives on Elaine. It is the writing on the effects of bullying which really worked for me. However, I could felt no emotional tie to any of the characters, in fact it feels quite a clinical novel. I didn't connect with Elaine, although we see elements of feminisim there is also a shallowness to her character, her constant worry about ageing, how she looks, how others appear.
The descriptions of the art don't work for me, and generally I didn't think wow what a great read, more of an ummm novel.”
“An interesting perspective on life being looked back on, how your childhood can affect your adult life and to what extent. What I love about Margaret Atwood is how the things she says are so ordinary, so true to life, she has a brilliant way of writing about everyday life. There's nothing fanciful and ridiculous. ”
Rachael M wrote this review Thursday, August 25, 2011. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“I simply love this book. Since it isn't narrated in that typical hook-the-reader-up kind of way I wouldn't recommend making this anyone's home assignment; for example I read below how someone had to read this book for a book club. In that way it's easy to only find its simpleness boring and the number of pages too extensive, things I adored in my own setting. Read it if _reading_ is what you feel like doing. ”
Isabella s wrote this review Monday, August 8, 2011. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
