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3.67 AVERAGE
3.67 AVERAGE
challenging
funny
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
challenging
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Incredibly impressive debut novel that could only come from the one and only Margaret Atwood. Feminist in nature, angry, and thought provoking, we follow a young woman while she navigates her engagement and finds self actualization in 1960's Toronto. This book is an extremely poignant commentary on gender and society, and i just loved it. This book is one where you read between the lines, different characters represent different societal ideologies, often in parody. It's very slow paced, and dialogue heavy. you'll find yourself screaming At the heroine the entire book WAKE UP WHAT ARE YOU DOING GET A HOLD OF YOURSELF!!! I cant say enough praise for this book. I put it at 4 stars because there were times where it just wasn't fun to read. It took me a long time to finish this book because I couldn't handle the main characters actions. But I loved it all the same!
challenging
emotional
reflective
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
I just love Margaret Atwood’s writing. Everything I read from her is just great. It is a sharp, surreal exploration of identity, gender roles, and societal expectations. Published in 1969, it was her debut novel and is often considered a protofeminist work—written before the height of second-wave feminism but deeply resonant with its themes. Margaret Atwood cleverly shifts between first- and third-person narration to reflect Marian’s psychological fragmentation and eventual reclamation of her identity. The novel uses food as a powerful metaphor for autonomy, control, and resistance, making it both a biting satire and a deeply personal journey. 💙
I am aware of the importance of this protocol-feminist novel and was excited to read it when it was recommended by a friend.
Unfortunately, I felt it was very dated, I think perhaps because of the radicalism of early feminism when compared with post-feminism. I am glad I began to read the novel, but I became disengaged a third of the way through and couldn’t remember character’s names and even follow the thread of the of the plot.
dark
funny
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Loveable characters:
No
funny
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
While I didn't fully understand the whole book, Margaret Atwood's writing is just so good, it almost doesn't matter. There were bits of this book that were so silly they. made me laugh out loud.
dark
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes