I love Margaret Atwood, but Oryx and Crake was just too gritty for my taste. This was compounded by the fact that I listened to it on audio. Hearing the graphic descriptions was even worse than reading it. This was my fifth Atwood, and by far my least favorite.
The narrator is Jimmy, code-named Snowman. Crake is a sort of Dr. Moreau figure, while Oryx is a woman caught between the two. I don’t want to give away too many details for those who still want to read it, but if you’re squeamish about graphic s*xu*l situations (including child p*r*o*raphy), I would advise against it. I didn’t get why it had to have that element to the story. I also wondered why the title of the book was named that way, but in the end, I guess it was because Oryx and Crake were the two most influential figures in Jimmy’s life.
I would recommend reading other Atwoods before this one. The Handmaid’s Tale, Cat’s Eye, and The Penelopiad are my favorites so far.
2003, 378 pp.
Sorry you didn’t like this one as much as other Atwoods. I loved it and am looking forward ot re-reading it for my reading group later this year. I can see where you are coming from though with the audio descriptions in places.
I haven’t read any Atwood, but have Alias Grace on my book shelf. I appreciate your honest review!
I gave it a 3.5, but it took me a while to get into it and then I didn’t care for the ending.
Atwood is definitely one of those authors where it’s win or lose. I’ve loved The Handmaid’s Tale and The Penelopiad, but The Robber Bride was torture. I’ll have to add Cat’s Eye to the stack.
I enjoyed this book at the time, but it didn’t stick in my memory anywhere near as well as A Handmaids Tale (one of the books which made me decide to take English in my degree), or Cats Eye
I have read The Handmaid’s Tale and really enjoyed it. I hope to get to Blind Assassin and Alias Grace next year.
I loved this book; I thought it was one of the best books I read two summers ago–but on audio, it was probably much harder to take. Lolita’s turning out a bit like that, too–much easier to read than to listen to.
Well, as you know, I was not thrilled with this book. The Handmaid’s Tale, Alias Grace and Penelopiad were wonderful though. I have to get to Cat’s Eye some day.
Did you know that Wendy (Caribousmom) started a Yahoo Orange Group? We’re reading Atwood next month, if you’re interested.
I’m glad you mentioned that “element”. All the reviews I read so far made me really curious about this book, but I don’t like reading that kind of stuff, and no one else mentioned it so far. So now I’m reconsidering. I’m glad to have been warned.
I haven’t had the oomphf to pick this one up. I loved The Robber Bride and The Handmaid’s Tale, but this one just never really caught my attention for some reason.
This is the only one I ever found comparable to Handmaid’s Tale. I wonder if the audio version took away from it.
I have read every bit of Atwood fiction published. I think they all achieve a base level of brilliance and then beyond that it is a matter of personal taste. I think my favorites are: 1. The Robber Bride, 2. Oryx and Crake, 3. The Edible Woman, 4. The Handmaid’s Tale and then after that they all kind of hold about the same level of interest.
Love your blog.
“I don’t want to give away too many details for those who still want to read it, but if you’re squeamish about graphic s*xu*l situations (including child p*r*o*raphy), I would advise against it. I didn’t get why it had to have that element to the story.”
The two mentioned elements had a specific purpose in the novel. In the book, they were elements taken right of real life, and their prevalence was exaggerated for social commentary on disturbing they are (which seems to have struck home here) and that they are in fact becoming more common, even to young teens like Jimmy and Crake, I’m sure. That being said, I can understand why you were put off by this book, especially considering that you listened to the audio.
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