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ketonks's review against another edition
4.0
I am not sure why it took me so long to read this one, but it is my last Atwood novel. By outward appearances the plot seems like a basic drug store thriller but of course it's never that simple. Well paced and covering the perspectives of two very different women, there is a lot to dissect here. Definitely not a disappointment but not as rich as my favourite Atwood novels.
wovengold's review against another edition
1.0
I've loved everything I've ever read by Atwood ~ until this. For the life of me, I could not get interested in either the protagonist or her story. A quarter of the way through, I simply gave up. That in itself is rare for me, as I almost always feel a compulsion to finish every book I start. Perhaps I will give this another go later.
your_true_shelf's review
2.0
After hearing so much about Margaret Atwood, when I saw this in audiobook format at my library, I didn't hesitate to try it. I would still be prepared to try another Atwood book, but this didn't do it for me.
The characters were all fairly irritating and I could get to like them or really care about them.
The island sounded like a nightmare, and I didn't understand why Rennie didn't just leave, especially during the rioting. Her naivety was annoying.
Sometimes if I don't like an audiobook, I wonder if it is in part due to the narrator, so I would be prepared to try another MA book in paper format.
The characters were all fairly irritating and I could get to like them or really care about them.
The island sounded like a nightmare, and I didn't understand why Rennie didn't just leave, especially during the rioting. Her naivety was annoying.
Sometimes if I don't like an audiobook, I wonder if it is in part due to the narrator, so I would be prepared to try another MA book in paper format.
thediverswife's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
0.5
polinaspages's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
miss_jakobs32's review against another edition
4.0
The beginning is very slow, but the last section of this book makes it a gooder.
el_keyworth's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
roshnara's review against another edition
3.0
While his is an intricate and engaging read, a lot of the magic of the story was lost because I couldn't really connect with any of the characters in the book. This is the first non futuristic Atwood I'm reading, and honestly, I prefer Handmaid's Tale and the Maddaddam Trilogy to this, but maybe I will give some of her other books a shot. This book intrigued me enough to do that.
herbooksandnotes's review against another edition
3.0
Bodily Harm Review (Trigger Warning - sexual violence and cancer)
This story follows Rennie who is a travel writer for a magazine. Rennie had suffered and survived breast cancer in which she has had a mastectomy. Breast cancer, her survival and exploration of it is an underlying element to the story. Her partner, Jake, leaves her because of her cancer. She also attempts an affair with a married doctor who saved her life. Rennie is sent to a Caribbean island to do a travel piece. However, this becomes difficult as the island is in political turmoil.
My thoughts: I gave this book 3 stars on goodreads, however I would rate it 3.5. The story was slow going until the end which I did not expect to happen! The fragmentation of time really emphasised the tension. However, there was not a single character that I liked. Rennie complained a lot and was very judgemental. Her ex partner Jake was the worst person; he was sexist, used women for sex. He thinks about nothing deeper, only sex. When I was reading, I thought can this character get any worse. And the answer is yes! He fetishises rape and plays sexual violent games. If the characters weren’t so awful I would have enjoyed the novel a bit more. The novel is set in a place called Ste Agathe, so I googled it. Saint Agatha is a patron saint of rape and breast cancer victims. Surely this is no coincidence. This is what I love about Atwood. It’s not about what happens in the novel but the meaning behind it.
This story follows Rennie who is a travel writer for a magazine. Rennie had suffered and survived breast cancer in which she has had a mastectomy. Breast cancer, her survival and exploration of it is an underlying element to the story. Her partner, Jake, leaves her because of her cancer. She also attempts an affair with a married doctor who saved her life. Rennie is sent to a Caribbean island to do a travel piece. However, this becomes difficult as the island is in political turmoil.
My thoughts: I gave this book 3 stars on goodreads, however I would rate it 3.5. The story was slow going until the end which I did not expect to happen! The fragmentation of time really emphasised the tension. However, there was not a single character that I liked. Rennie complained a lot and was very judgemental. Her ex partner Jake was the worst person; he was sexist, used women for sex. He thinks about nothing deeper, only sex. When I was reading, I thought can this character get any worse. And the answer is yes! He fetishises rape and plays sexual violent games. If the characters weren’t so awful I would have enjoyed the novel a bit more. The novel is set in a place called Ste Agathe, so I googled it. Saint Agatha is a patron saint of rape and breast cancer victims. Surely this is no coincidence. This is what I love about Atwood. It’s not about what happens in the novel but the meaning behind it.
northernselkie's review against another edition
5.0
Margaret Atwood can always do now wrong in my opinion, but this one is just one of her best, an incredible read I couldn't put down