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A review by thejellybeany
The Blind Assassin by Margaret Atwood
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
The Blind Assassin is a story about Iris Chase, a woman haunted by her past, who, in the final years of her life, decides to at last lay it all to paper, and therefore hopefully to rest; if not for her sake, then for that of her last remaining kin, her granddaughter Sabrina.
The book consists of parts alternating between her retelling of her family history, upbringing, and married life, and chapters of 'The Blind Assassin', a beautiful and moving novel of love and longing between a married woman and a communist rebel on the run, and one with a huge cult following, written by Iris' late younger sister, Laura, who drove off a bridge to her death before it was even published. To say much more about the plot would not truly do it justice, but it is ultimately a story of two sisters, and the deep regret Iris feels around not having looked out for Laura, as she had long ago promised her mother and father she would.
With intelligent writing and eloquent prose, we learn about this woman who is finally claiming the narrative of her life for her own, unfortunately knowing all too well that it has come 60 years too late for all of the characters in it. Similar in many ways to the novel that appears alongside it, Iris' is a story of love, loss, and longing, and a reminder that the ghosts of the dead are powerful, but we must be more so.
The book consists of parts alternating between her retelling of her family history, upbringing, and married life, and chapters of 'The Blind Assassin', a beautiful and moving novel of love and longing between a married woman and a communist rebel on the run, and one with a huge cult following, written by Iris' late younger sister, Laura, who drove off a bridge to her death before it was even published. To say much more about the plot would not truly do it justice, but it is ultimately a story of two sisters, and the deep regret Iris feels around not having looked out for Laura, as she had long ago promised her mother and father she would.
With intelligent writing and eloquent prose, we learn about this woman who is finally claiming the narrative of her life for her own, unfortunately knowing all too well that it has come 60 years too late for all of the characters in it. Similar in many ways to the novel that appears alongside it, Iris' is a story of love, loss, and longing, and a reminder that the ghosts of the dead are powerful, but we must be more so.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Miscarriage
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Sexual violence, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Car accident, Abortion, Death of parent, and Gaslighting
Minor: Alcoholism, Drug abuse, and Forced institutionalization