Margaret Atwood
1972
Around 200 pages
Around 200 pages
I've been complaining about our 1971 slump, so the heavens sent us Margaret Atwood. Atwood is one of my favorite authors of all time and she surprised me by popping up on the List so early. It's crazy what a long and successful career she's had. And unlike many authors, she didn't need much time to find her footing, as this is only her second novel ever published and she's already crushing it.
Our protagonist is unnamed, which usually garners an eye roll from me, but such acts are forbidden when dealing with an Atwood novel. She returns to her hometown in Canada to find her father, accompanied by her lover Joe and a married couple, Anna and David. It feels as though every other novel on this List features a main character unraveling on the page. But this character's spiraling felt unique and relatable to me. I think we've all felt emotionally numb during certain periods in our lives, and wondered if we could ever exist in a "normal" relationship.
I actually just tried to go to Quebec, but the forest fires forced me to cancel my trip (why does everything happen to ME?). Atwood's writing is so atmospheric, that it made me nostalgic for the main character's hometown. Her characters just feel so real, the dynamics and dialogue always ring true. She a master of nearly every genre, and I can't wait to gobble up more of her work.
RATING: *****
Interesting Facts:
Described by commentators as a companion novel to Atwood's collection of poems, Power Politics.
UP NEXT: G by John Berger
No comments:
Post a Comment