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4.05 AVERAGE
4.05 AVERAGE
adventurous
dark
informative
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Loveable characters:
Yes
Ah, it was a slow start but the story got going more in this one; perhaps the lack of a partially insane narrator from the previous book helped expand the storytelling. Following on the themes from the previous book, God's Gardeners are at once a superbly realistic construct and a ridiculously funny mixture of Christian myths with ecologically minded science. It's dark as always, but the satire makes the load bearable.
Highly recommend the 2009 audiobook version, which includes recordings of the songs - it's not the best music, but that's besides the point, and though I'm usually wary of such gimmicks in this case it added a new dimension to the story.
Highly recommend the 2009 audiobook version, which includes recordings of the songs - it's not the best music, but that's besides the point, and though I'm usually wary of such gimmicks in this case it added a new dimension to the story.
This is the Second book of the MadAdam trilogy. Like its predecessor, Oryx and Crake, it is thematically a dystopia read. It is not necessary to read the book in order. The stories mesh well on their own and in any sequence read.
I am reviewing the audioversion which has disadvantages for my overall enjoyment. The narration was terrific. The characters are believable. The situations/surroundings/experiences of the characters elicit empathy. The difficulty arises with the music added to the story. Principle characters are two females who trapped in the midst of apocalypse/armaggedon world. At intervals we also here from ADAM ONE, the quasi-spiritual leader, whose guidance is often given in the form of sermons/homilies. At the conclusion of these sermons we are instructed to "let us sing". And this is where the problem rests. The songs, that in the written version are written, are placed to music and sung. I found this both annoying and distracting. I haven't decided if it was the musical score, the singing or songs but the overall effect was an negative affect.Thus, my rating is 3 star. might have been higher without the sound track.
Bottom line, read the book, skip the audioversion.
I am reviewing the audioversion which has disadvantages for my overall enjoyment. The narration was terrific. The characters are believable. The situations/surroundings/experiences of the characters elicit empathy. The difficulty arises with the music added to the story. Principle characters are two females who trapped in the midst of apocalypse/armaggedon world. At intervals we also here from ADAM ONE, the quasi-spiritual leader, whose guidance is often given in the form of sermons/homilies. At the conclusion of these sermons we are instructed to "let us sing". And this is where the problem rests. The songs, that in the written version are written, are placed to music and sung. I found this both annoying and distracting. I haven't decided if it was the musical score, the singing or songs but the overall effect was an negative affect.Thus, my rating is 3 star. might have been higher without the sound track.
Bottom line, read the book, skip the audioversion.
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
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:
Complicated
challenging
dark
sad
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
adventurous
dark
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:
No
It wasn't as tight as Oryx and Crake. I actually wish I had read this book first.
I enjoyed this except for the songs. going back to read Oryx and Crake
dark
reflective
tense
fast-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:
No
An adventure! I think I liked this better than the first one. There was certainly more humor in these perspectives which is a bit of a relief when the dystopia is as dark as this one. Additionally, it is good to have a female perspective in a dystopia that is so hard on women. That said, this is so different from Handmaid’s Tale, one might think they had different authors. Worth reading for all its own quite separate reasons.
Dystopia is certainly more fun in a cult. There is a frightening power in Margaret Atwood’s imitation of Christian fundamentalism. The cult at the core of the Flood is very believable and its values are so delicately drawn that it’s easy to get caught up in the platitudes and music. What I appreciate is that she does not waster her time satirizing or mocking extreme beliefs but explores them deeply and with full permission. It’s not so much a warning or dismay, something that can be overdone in dystopia, but it is an exploration of hope, faith, and our culture’s driving forces.
Atwood has such a remarkable insight on people and culture, this book really reminded me why she’s revered. Even at the end of the world, she pushes at the edges of what it means to exist and seeks out why we should. In this series, I recognize that she is exercising a gleeful freedom from critical or social expectations. Perhaps it’s the liberating magic of birdwatching. A little coocoo, but profound.
Dystopia is certainly more fun in a cult. There is a frightening power in Margaret Atwood’s imitation of Christian fundamentalism. The cult at the core of the Flood is very believable and its values are so delicately drawn that it’s easy to get caught up in the platitudes and music. What I appreciate is that she does not waster her time satirizing or mocking extreme beliefs but explores them deeply and with full permission. It’s not so much a warning or dismay, something that can be overdone in dystopia, but it is an exploration of hope, faith, and our culture’s driving forces.
Atwood has such a remarkable insight on people and culture, this book really reminded me why she’s revered. Even at the end of the world, she pushes at the edges of what it means to exist and seeks out why we should. In this series, I recognize that she is exercising a gleeful freedom from critical or social expectations. Perhaps it’s the liberating magic of birdwatching. A little coocoo, but profound.
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes