944. The Blind Assassin

The Blind Assassin
Margaret Atwood
2000
Around 540 pages

This is like being on the last season of a beloved television series. We are going to be saying goodbye to a lot of beloved characters as the writers fumble to tie up storylines. Margaret Atwood definitely earns a spot in my top five, so this is tougher than the other farewells recently. Here's my ranking:

1. A Handmaid's Tale
2. Alias Grace
3. The Robber Bride
4. The Blind Assassin
5. Cat's Eye
6. Surfacing

I know I've raved enough about her range, but it's just extremely impressive that each of these entires are so different but so brilliant. This might be her most complex novel yet, and it's only due to the genius of the top half of my ranking that keeps this one out of first place.

Atwood takes the Danielewski approach and presents a story within a story within a story. Our main character is Iris, and she is reflecting on her life in Canada, which has included an unhappy marriage and a motherless childhood. The embedded story is called The Blind Assassin, and follows a pulp fiction writer, who tells a sci-fi story. It's less confusing than it sounds.

Iris is a somewhat familiar archetype in Atwood's writing, but she keeps it fresh with this unusual format. And personally, I can't get enough of Science Fiction Atwood. One of my goals in the List afterlife is to read everything Atwood has ever written, so it's not a goodbye, just a see you later.

But talk about going out on a high note.

RATING: *****

Interesting Facts:

Won the Booker Prize.

UP NEXT: The Human Stain by Philip Roth

894. Alias Grace

Alias Grace
Margaret Atwood
1996
Around 470 pages

Margaret Atwood will never cease to amaze me with her range. Here she blends historical fiction and true crime, completely transforming her style to fit the gothic style of the story. She's a witch, in other words.

The novel fictionalizes the 1843 murder of Thomas Kinnear and his housekeeper/lover Nancy Montgomery. The two servants, Grace Marks and James McDermott were convicted of the crime. While serving her life sentence, Grace tells the story of her life to psychiatrist Dr. Simon Jordan.

I think we all have that dash of morbidity that makes novels based on real murders utterly fascinating. Grace is such a mysterious character that the reader can formulate many theories on how much of a victim she is, which is mirrored in Dr. Jordan's insatiable curiosity. Grace is able to captivate Dr. Jordan while sewing and patching together the broken memories of her past. God, it's so good.

Atwood once again shows off her deep understanding of character, and manages to provide social and political commentary at the same time. Put her in charge of all the things.

RATING: *****

Interesting Facts:

Adapted to a miniseries in 2017.

UP NEXT: The Clay Machine Gun by Victor Pelevin

858. The Robber Bride

The Robber Bride
Margaret Atwood
1993
Around 550 pages

It's a pretty safe bet that I'm going to love any Margaret Atwood novel. I'm still in awe of her range. Even my favorite writers are often repetitive in their work, but Atwood manages to create something unique and exciting with every new genre she takes on. 

Set in present-day Toronto, Ontario, the story follows three women and their history with old friend and nemesis, Zenia. Roz, Charis, and Tony still meet once a month in a restaurant years after Zenia betrayed them. During one outing they spot Zenia, who they thought to be long-dead. We then find out how Zenia stole their respective partners one by one. 

That actually sounds like it could be the story in a country song, but I promise this is well-crafted and deeply nuanced novel that explores the power dynamics between men and women (just like Goodbye Earl did). 

The story really poses interesting questions. For instance, is there such a thing as a "homewrecker", or are women just repeatedly saving each other from spending their lives with unfaithful duds? And because it is Atwood, the action rarely lags and the characters are brilliantly fleshed out, with Tony being my personal favorite.

Atwood earns every single one of her entries on this List. Another work of genius to add to her resume.

RATING: ****-

Interesting Facts:

In 2014, Atwood published the short story "I Dream of Zenia with the Bright Red Teeth", which revisits Roz, Tony, and Charis in the present day.

UP NEXT: The House of Doctor Dee by Peter Ackroyd

804. Cat's Eye

Cat's Eye
Margaret Atwood
1988
Around 420 pages

I love Margaret Atwood, and we certainly earned this read after some of the clunkers on this List. Once again, Atwood astonishes me with her range and emotional intelligence.

Elaine Risley is a painter who goes back to her childhood town Toronto for a retrospective on her art. She had a somewhat unconventional childhood, as her father's entomology work kept them traveling a lot. At the age of eight, she becomes friends with Carol and Grace, although that friendship shifts after the addition of a new girl, Cordelia. Has there ever been a boring character named Cordelia?

I love it when characters reflect on their past, and Elaine is a very relatable protagonist. I'm sure all women have those memories of childhood bullying or weird social dynamics that still affect how you see things today. Atwood did a wonderful job capturing those adolescent insecurities that you carry into adulthood. Also, "the mean girls" in media tend to be very cartoonish, but Atwood created compelling characters in Carol, Grace, and Cordelia.

Not my favorite Atwood because she has so many masterpieces to choose from, but I would still consider this essential reading.

RATING: *****

Interesting Facts:

Finalist for the 1988 Governor General's Award and for the 1989 Booker Prize.

UP NEXT: The Book of Evidence by John Banville

758. The Handmaid's Tale

The Handmaid's Tale
Margaret Atwood
1985
Around 310 pages

Damn, I really wish this novel didn't resonant so much. Margaret Atwood brilliantly takes women's fears to the extreme and brings them to their logical conclusion. I was so disturbed by this that I have never been able to watch the Hulu series, even though I hear good things.

Set in the not so distant future, the story takes place in Gilead, a patriarchal, white supremacist, totalitarian state, which has overthrown the United States government. Our narrator Offred (Of Fred, geddit?) is one of the "Handmaids," who are women forcibly assigned to produce children for the "Commanders," the ruling class. We get a glimpse of Offred's life before the takeover, which was honestly the most chilling part. Those early signs that something was wrong, like suddenly not being able to access your bank account, were so well done.

Atwood says that all of the scenarios offered in The Handmaid's Tale have actually occurred in real life, and would bring newspaper articles to interviews to prove it. Outside of the obvious relevance to the United States in particular, Atwood is a wonderful storyteller and is a master at pacing and world-building.

There are so many memorable moments from this novel and I am happy to report that the sequel provides an equally compelling follow up. What an ending too. Perfect from start to finish.

RATING: *****

Interesting Facts:

The American Library Association lists The Handmaid's Tale as number 37 on the "100 Most Frequently Challenged Books of 1990–2000"

UP NEXT: Hawksmoor by Peter Ackroyd

648. Surfacing

Surfacing
Margaret Atwood

1972
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