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erickibler4's review against another edition
5.0
There is no middle class. Just a few rich corporatists who live in heavily guarded compounds, and the rest of us, who live in the crime and disease-ridden "pleeblands". Elections are meaningless, since each candidate supports the repressive corporate power structure. By the way, this isn't a mere description of the world that's on our doorstep. I'm talking about a novel of speculative fiction written in 2003.
Life has become even more cheap, degraded, and predatory in this near-future world. Genetic splicing is making a few people a lot of money, and has created monsters, which eventually escape into the world to breed freely. Brutal pornography abounds, as do internet reality shows that make entertainment out of human misery.
The book makes the point that all this may only be the natural result of the existence of humanity itself, a voracious, omnivorous species that's hard-wired to produce more offspring rather than less, in times of scarcity. Given free rein, humanity will gobble up all the resources on the planet before cannibalizing itself.
One character in this book realizes this, and like a similar character in Alan Moore's "Watchmen", thinks he/she has the resources and knowhow to do something about it.
It's hard to put this book down. Every day, we see the train wreck our world is becoming, and this book gives us, perhaps (and I hope not) an all too clear-eyed preview of what's to come. I immediately had to dive into "Year of the Flood", a parallel novel set in the same world, which Atwood wrote in 2009. There is to be a third book, the three comprising the "MaddAddam Trilogy".
Life has become even more cheap, degraded, and predatory in this near-future world. Genetic splicing is making a few people a lot of money, and has created monsters, which eventually escape into the world to breed freely. Brutal pornography abounds, as do internet reality shows that make entertainment out of human misery.
The book makes the point that all this may only be the natural result of the existence of humanity itself, a voracious, omnivorous species that's hard-wired to produce more offspring rather than less, in times of scarcity. Given free rein, humanity will gobble up all the resources on the planet before cannibalizing itself.
One character in this book realizes this, and like a similar character in Alan Moore's "Watchmen", thinks he/she has the resources and knowhow to do something about it.
It's hard to put this book down. Every day, we see the train wreck our world is becoming, and this book gives us, perhaps (and I hope not) an all too clear-eyed preview of what's to come. I immediately had to dive into "Year of the Flood", a parallel novel set in the same world, which Atwood wrote in 2009. There is to be a third book, the three comprising the "MaddAddam Trilogy".
erickibler4's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
eelliemayy's review against another edition
dark
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
4.0
flaminggoose's review against another edition
dark
informative
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
lakediver's review against another edition
4.0
This story is largely told in a series of long flashbacks. Very little of the action happens in the present. The novel starts out with the end of humanity, except for Snowman. As the novel progresses, you find out what happened and Snowman's role in the end of humanity. The build up to the final reveal is huge. I strongly suspected who was responsible, but I hadn't figured out how. I suppose you could call it a twist, but it's my favorite kind of twist -- the kind that you should have seen coming, if only you'd paid more attention.
The world that Atwood builds is fascinating, full of genetically engineered creatures in a dramatically altered climate. It strongly reminded me of "The Road", except that you do find out what caused the apocalypse. There are some uncomfortable sections to get through, particularly the child pornography elements of Oryx's backstory. It's also a novel that will make you think. Was Crake right? Is humanity truly so fundamentally flawed? Or are there redeeming qualities - ones that Crake so easily dismissed - that make up for our flaws?
The world that Atwood builds is fascinating, full of genetically engineered creatures in a dramatically altered climate. It strongly reminded me of "The Road", except that you do find out what caused the apocalypse. There are some uncomfortable sections to get through, particularly the child pornography elements of Oryx's backstory. It's also a novel that will make you think. Was Crake right? Is humanity truly so fundamentally flawed? Or are there redeeming qualities - ones that Crake so easily dismissed - that make up for our flaws?
dani05's review against another edition
5.0
@goodreads please for the love of god include half star ratings.
i would pay to see what goes on inside this woman’s mind.
i would pay to see what goes on inside this woman’s mind.
mylibrarybooks's review against another edition
3.0
I can't exactly decide how I feel about this one. I love the writing and the idea, but I kinda hated the protagonist more than I liked everything else going on. It still left some interesting questions so I might be tempted to read the sequel some time. We shall see. In the mean time, this is one I will definitely be thinking over.
hjswinford's review against another edition
5.0
Incredible and terrifying. Will definitely continue series.
livjohns's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
funny
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
4.5
loesje_kr's review against another edition
2.0
Mmmm so not the time to read this. That was bleak....somehow bleaker than "The Handmaid's Tale." Maybe because I don't find myself rooting for the main character at ALL. In fact I kind of hate him. Bizarre bad and so not my thing.