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A review by serendipitysbooks
The Blind Assassin by Margaret Atwood
emotional
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
The Blind Assassin won the Booker Prize in 2000. The protagonist is Iris Chase Griffin who, in her eighties, is writing her life story so that her surviving granddaughter will know the truth about her life and that of the wider family. Iris’s was an interesting life which included a prosperous, if motherless, childhood, an unhappy marriage to a controlling businessman, a complicated relationship with her younger sister Laura who became a famous novelist, and many, many secrets - some involving Iris and others discovered by her. Various historical events were folded into the plot and I particularly enjoyed the look at Canadian businesses, labour relations, and Communist activity in the inter-war years.
That Atwood’s writing was a standout goes without saying and, as always, I was impressed by her storytelling abilities. I enjoyed the snippets from the social pages featuring Chase and Griffen family members, as well as newspaper articles about various political events. However, the standout was the unique book within a book within a book structure. Iris’s story included chapters from Laura’s novel which itself included a science fiction told by one character to another. The way these stories reinforced each other was very clever and I enjoyed discovering links, connections and parallels between the three different stories. The structure added depth and richness to the story. I do think it contributed to my taking a while to settle into the book though. A complicated slow burn but for me it was worth it.
That Atwood’s writing was a standout goes without saying and, as always, I was impressed by her storytelling abilities. I enjoyed the snippets from the social pages featuring Chase and Griffen family members, as well as newspaper articles about various political events. However, the standout was the unique book within a book within a book structure. Iris’s story included chapters from Laura’s novel which itself included a science fiction told by one character to another. The way these stories reinforced each other was very clever and I enjoyed discovering links, connections and parallels between the three different stories. The structure added depth and richness to the story. I do think it contributed to my taking a while to settle into the book though. A complicated slow burn but for me it was worth it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny and Suicide
Moderate: Forced institutionalization, War, Miscarriage, and Rape