Oryx and Crake: My Thoughts

By Margaret Atwood

This book is excellent.
Let me first come to my gripes. The Snowman parts were never more interesting than the Jimmy parts. I dreaded that after every Jimmy part, where I’m itching to know what happens next, a Snowman would pop up. Also, some of the names really made go “Really this is what you’re going to do?”
But, this is an excellent book. Just, I am IN AWE of the sheer craftsmanship of Margaret Atwood. The prose is AMAZING. Every part ends with such KILLER LINES. The depth is amazing, the entire style is so fascinating in how clearly it conveys it’s thoughts while being so beautiful and god I loved it.
The narration is excellent too. John Chancer changing his voice to a high pitched laughable tone when reading the Crakers imo just adds so much more pizzazz to the whole thing.
As much as I say, oh the Snowman parts are bleh, they’re not. That entire pigoon sequence is amazing. The sheer hopelessness, how Snowman calms himself with words, it’s all excellent.
Jimmy’s world is just the best part of the book, hands down. To have such a complex character as the protagonist in such a fantastic world, is, it’s just a free for all, the writing just explodes and punch after punch, it’s so much fun.
I’m just going to take a minute and just fawn over the exquisite world building. The world is absolutely amazing.
The three main characters are just scooped up and the interactions are amazing. Oryx and her entire “I’m a mystery” thing is amazing. Crake and his genius but also amazingly narrow focused thought, is amazing. Jimmy is, haaaa, I wish I could dream of writing characters like this.
Also, just the world, the names, the all the little details, the rakunks, the Happicuppa, RejoovenEsense, it’s all such a fascinating well built, just tight tight tight world.
I loved this book. I don’t even know if this is Atwood’s best book or close to it, but the cold writing style, the whole world building, deep characters.
I’m in love with this.
Look, I don’t know if this is THE BOOK if you want to get into Atwood, but this is of itself, such an excellent well written book.
I wouldn’t recommend this to someone, cuz it’s big and it’s not going to change your life with it’s ideas and all, but I would respect the fuck out of you if you read this.