A review by shanhautman
The Year of the Flood by Margaret Atwood

4.0

The level of detail Atwood creates in her speculative worlds always astounds me...5 stars there. The relationship and story arc that lacked believability for me: Ren and Jimmy. On one hand, if Jimmy was Ren's last "typical" love experience (pre total world meltdown), it makes sense that she would be stuck there socially and emotionally, but that's what also made the situation a little unbelievable for me. The torch she carried for him throughout her life was just a little contrived. Atwood did craft Ren as emotionally immature and child-like, so I can see the reasoning behind the torch for Jimmy, but it felt a little too convenient at the end of the novel. And, the way all the characters' lives intersected at the end = contrived. Still, a great, great read.