Reviews - The Year Of The Flood

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2.42k reviews for:

The Year Of The Flood

Margaret Atwood

4.05 AVERAGE

harrisonjglaser's review against another edition

5.0

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective sad 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: Yes

buggie_books's review against another edition

4.0

Margaret Atwood possesses a unique ability to craft chilling visions of the future that strike close to home. Initially caught off guard by the bleakness of this novel, I found myself revisiting it at a more opportune moment, which allowed for a deeper appreciation. While the experience remained challenging, I couldn't say I "enjoyed" it in the conventional sense; however, I deeply valued it. I admire fiction that elicits strong emotional responses, and despite its difficulty, this book left a lasting impact. It's often the most demanding reads that prove to be the most significant in the end.

pennylegg20's review against another edition

4.5

dark funny mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

mwshaw25's review against another edition

4.0

Wonderfully personal, multiple narrator story line. A continuation and detailed in-fill/drill down into a modern society that faces a huge global pandemic. Atwood is a fabulous writer. Has a few similarities to Octavia Butler’s “Parable of the Sower” but on steroids.

pazmad's review against another edition

5.0

This fantastic story builds on the world created in Oryx and Cake. Margaret Atwood is so smart and presents such a well thought out and researched possible future, I almost started taking notes in case I have to survive on mushrooms, sorrel and maggots someday. I was completely riveted at the end and I can'twait for the third and final book!

lccandle's review against another edition

3.0

Unlike Oryx and Crake which leads you to think deeply about the narrative and context, the year of the flood is more about world building and experimental story telling. Of course Atwood is always a genius and the story was interesting and good but it was different. There are two main narrators, time switches throughout and so does the perspective from first to third. This book is heavy handed in religion whereas Oryx and Crake was more of a discovery and philosophical questioning of ethics, morals and the evolution of humanity. If you’re more interested in the moral twists and mysterious storytelling of oryx and crake, you won’t find that here. What you will find is a story with characters and plot and twists. It isn’t what I expected but I enjoyed it all the same. Just wish I hadn’t gone in with expectations that it would be somehow more in the style of oryx and crake.

khristy's review against another edition

3.75

dark mysterious sad tense slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Plot

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: No

This is the 2nd book of Atwood’s MaddAddam Trilogy. All 3 books run concurrently, not chronologically.

Writing: solid. Atwood is a pro.
Plot/characters: I spent the beginning of the book wanting more info on the virus, but it seems that that info is told from the pov of the scientists in the 1st book.
The plot is standard end of the world dystopian. Atwood usually feels pretty realistic…you believe this scenario could definitely happen. Ren and Toby are likable characters. Ren speaks in 1st person. Toby in 3rd. The pain ball arena is particularly disturbing.
Profundity: I mean…besides the fact that we need to quit destroying the world and that people are always your biggest danger in an apocalypse?