Oryx and Crake Audiobook

" I wasn't sure about this one at first. I'm into dystopias lately, but Atwood is so dark and depressing that I wasn't sure I would make it through. And Snowman the narrator is not a likeable guy, so it was hard to stick with it at first. But I got into it eventually and the world was compelling with lots of things to ponder. I eventually became addicted. "

" On one hand, this is a truly scary and well conceived dystopian novel. It explores the possible horrors of genetic manipulation in the wrong hands. However, I had trouble getting past the structure and the characters. First, the structure: The novel is told from the point of view of Snowman who is overseeing a new breed of humans. This is the future, and humanity seems to have mostly wiped itself out. But most of the actual story takes place in Snowman's past and tells of how he and his buddy Crake were involved in ending the world. By framing it this way, I had trouble connecting with the past, which really is the bulk of the novel. Plus the future, while interesting, is kind of boring - meaning that very little in the way of action happens; we spend most of our time learning about the new humans known as the Children of Crake. Second, the characters: Snowman (aka Jimmy) is whiny and kind of listless. Crake is an ass who is just smarter than everyone else, plus has no moral compass. Oryx is an interesting character, but she seems so lost by her early life as a sex slave that she is difficult to connect with; also, she is given the least attention of all the main characters. So, while I usually have no problem with very flawed characters, I really had trouble latching onto any of these three. They just seem so detached from the world. This is supposed to be a novel about the end of the world, but the POV's felt incredibly myopic. Snowman, Crake, and Oryx remain in their little bubbles and I rarely see much beyond what's ten feet in front of them, and this is often just a computer screen. No other characters stand out at all. There are no real side characters. So props to Atwood on the world building, she did a truly amazing job with this, but I struggled with the story elements. "

" 3.5. I am a sucker for dystopian/apocolyptic books. "

" cdid not really like; confusing; could not believe Margaret Atwood wrote this! "

" My sister told me this is one of the books she's read more than once. I finished it last night. Found it horribly depressing. Well written - needed a dictionary! - but ultimately it just sucked the life out of me. Maybe I just wasn't in the mood.......?! "

" Love Atwood and her dark humour! "

" A three-and-a-halfer if there ever was one. "

" I don't really know how she does it, but Margaret Atwood really knows how to blow my mind. "

" If there is such a thing as a dystopian thriller this is it. The book moves at the pace of a Stieg Larsen novel but carries the weight of headier literature exploring bigger questions and deeper themes. Loved it. "

" I'm not usually a fan of sci-fi, but I really like this one. I know, I hear dystopian sci-fi is different from your basic sci-fi, and I guess I agree. It was a page turner for me, I recommend it! "

" The second book's ending certainly makes a lot more sense now that I've read the preceding book. Good, but not great. "

" Love this book. It is a tad depressing at times, but still a great read! Looking forward to the 3rd installment of MaddAddam. "

" I studied this as part of my English Literature course and I really liked it. Very good plot, nice ending! "

" A terrific novel that sucks you into the character's life. Best read close to the same time as reading The Year of the Flood. "

" The only thing missing were pigeons with talons and cockroaches with personalities. "

" I love the writing and the plot... Its the pace of the story I didn't like. Its too slow for my liking. "

" This end of the world depiction is also a stark critique of our society. What frightens me, is that I feel that so many of the ideas in this book could actually happen and in fact be our undoing. "

" I really enjoyed this book, I found the parts where Jimmy and Crake were growing up a little tedious and zeitgeisty. But overall it was a good read, intriguing, rewarding, horrifying but not overly bleak for it's subject matter. "

" My second favourite Atwood novel, after Cat's Eye. You just can't argue her genius after reading this. Which I have, about 20 times now. "

" Not a's good a's Year of the Flood - slower reading since it's told from just one persons perspective. But so impressed the way Atwood can create a vision of the future c "

" Atwood chooses, then polishes each word like a gemstone and assembles them in a breathtaking setting. She has a great pen for dialogue, she is funny when least expected, has a pickpocket's eye for human attributes and social problems. And she keeps you reading to the last syllable. "

" I liked the book. Lots to think about. Atwood's style of writing is most engaging. The subject matter was definitely disturbing... "

" A thought provoking book with great characters and compelling action. Atwood is the Queen of Speculative Fiction. "

" Enjoyable, but I was expecting more. "

" Strange, post-apocalyptic kind of book. Very different from her other stuff. Didn't think I'd be into it, but liked it in spite of myself. "

" Magnificent and clever writing of utterly disturbing because probable vision of the future "

" My all-time favorite Margaret Atwood novel!! "

" I was fairly bored in the first half of this book, but it really picked up in the second half. "

" Really good. Liked the way that Atwood went back and forth. Never giving too much of how the end became what it was. Interesting way of creating a narrative how capitalism and greed will be the death of our civilization. Especially as Crake being the great equalizer incarnate. "