Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.34 AVERAGE
3.34 AVERAGE
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-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
Upsetting and unsatisfying. The weakest of the Atwood dystopias that I’ve read.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Infidelity, Medical content, Trafficking
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Body horror, Pedophilia, Sexual content, Slavery
Minor: Cancer, Alcohol
adventurous
dark
funny
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
2.5/5 El libro no se asemeja nada al genial Cuento se la criada. El tono es muy diferente y nunca se siente el drama por el que está pasando la pareja. Atwood abre temas muy interesantes, pero no los desarrolla, lo cual es una lástima porque son situaciones muy contemporáneas que podrían pasar, pero que no hay mayor explotación sobre ellas. El final es perturbador y eso me gustó mucho. Bien por eso.
dark
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I'm normally a huge fan of Margaret Atwood, which is why I was so excited to read this book. Hoo boy was I disappointed.
While I found the premise exciting at first, and was waiting to see the twist that comes so often in these dystopian-type stories, I just couldn't get attached to the characters for the plot to have any impact on me. It seemed like Stan and Charmaine had very little character development in the story - even at the sickeningly saccharine end, Charmaine was still naive and foolish (despite what she had gone through) and Stan was still a sexist asshole (his behavior at the end of the book, especially during the wedding and when he learns that Charmaine will be his forever, made me uncomfortable). I was surprised that neither of them had reexamined their relationship and the events that had transpired, even after (spoilers) Charmaine's "operation." There was no suspense in the plot just because the characters were just so damn unlikable, and I just couldn't care less about what happened to them.
While the ending was a happy one, it felt forced, mostly due to the fact that it was crammed into the last two short chapters of the book. I really wasn't happy for any of the main or side characters: the ending felt undeserved and too hastily put together, like Atwood was pushing against a publisher's deadline. Too many good things were thrown at the reader: WEDDING, BABY, JOCELYN, FRIENDS, AMERICAN DREAM, NEW JOB, etc. It was cheap, and if my appreciation for the trauma the characters had gone through was thin before, it was completely gone by that point. And for me, where the characters ended up (Charmaine as a happy housewife and mother and Stan as the proud working father), were just too 1950s for the supposedly feminist message this book was pushing.
While Atwood's previously demonstrated writing power in books like "The Handmaid's Tale" and her MaddAddam series saved this novel from a one-star rating, it's really the only thing that's going for it. If you want to read the book because of it's political message and themes, then go for it. But if you read it expecting it to be on par with Atwood's other novels, you'll be sorely disappointed.
While I found the premise exciting at first, and was waiting to see the twist that comes so often in these dystopian-type stories, I just couldn't get attached to the characters for the plot to have any impact on me. It seemed like Stan and Charmaine had very little character development in the story - even at the sickeningly saccharine end, Charmaine was still naive and foolish (despite what she had gone through) and Stan was still a sexist asshole (his behavior at the end of the book, especially during the wedding and when he learns that Charmaine will be his forever, made me uncomfortable). I was surprised that neither of them had reexamined their relationship and the events that had transpired, even after (spoilers) Charmaine's "operation." There was no suspense in the plot just because the characters were just so damn unlikable, and I just couldn't care less about what happened to them.
While the ending was a happy one, it felt forced, mostly due to the fact that it was crammed into the last two short chapters of the book. I really wasn't happy for any of the main or side characters: the ending felt undeserved and too hastily put together, like Atwood was pushing against a publisher's deadline. Too many good things were thrown at the reader: WEDDING, BABY, JOCELYN, FRIENDS, AMERICAN DREAM, NEW JOB, etc. It was cheap, and if my appreciation for the trauma the characters had gone through was thin before, it was completely gone by that point. And for me, where the characters ended up (Charmaine as a happy housewife and mother and Stan as the proud working father), were just too 1950s for the supposedly feminist message this book was pushing.
While Atwood's previously demonstrated writing power in books like "The Handmaid's Tale" and her MaddAddam series saved this novel from a one-star rating, it's really the only thing that's going for it. If you want to read the book because of it's political message and themes, then go for it. But if you read it expecting it to be on par with Atwood's other novels, you'll be sorely disappointed.
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
This is a wildly eclectic tale. Filled with dystopian projections of our society, the fraying bonds of relationship, and wicked winks at pop culture, it is packed to the brim with criticism of our consumerist society. Classic Atwood.
I finished this book thinking "WTF did I just waste my time and energy reading?!?!"
This was the first book that I have read by this author, and to say that I was disappointed would be the understatement of the century! The premise of the book was both interesting and thought provoking, and the first couple of chapters really had me interested to see how this "post apocalyptic social experiment" was going to play out... Well, it didn't... Didn't do anything but crash and burn and try to resurrect itself in some stupid, out-of-left-field sort of way. As I read the story line became more and more outlandish. There were many times that I thought about DNF-ing it, but I carried on. Why?!? Because it was a prolific author, and it received decent reviews... So, maybe I was the one who just didn't get the absurdity of it all, or catch some buried symbolism of greater meaning or something. I hate to leave terrible reviews, but, damn! This book sucked! (IMO)
After reading this book it really has me wondering if I should even try The Handmaid's Tale. If it was anything close to this nonsensical mess of a novel, I'm out.
This was the first book that I have read by this author, and to say that I was disappointed would be the understatement of the century! The premise of the book was both interesting and thought provoking, and the first couple of chapters really had me interested to see how this "post apocalyptic social experiment" was going to play out... Well, it didn't... Didn't do anything but crash and burn and try to resurrect itself in some stupid, out-of-left-field sort of way. As I read the story line became more and more outlandish. There were many times that I thought about DNF-ing it, but I carried on. Why?!? Because it was a prolific author, and it received decent reviews... So, maybe I was the one who just didn't get the absurdity of it all, or catch some buried symbolism of greater meaning or something. I hate to leave terrible reviews, but, damn! This book sucked! (IMO)
After reading this book it really has me wondering if I should even try The Handmaid's Tale. If it was anything close to this nonsensical mess of a novel, I'm out.