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Julie G's Reviews > Oryx and Crake
Oryx and Crake (MaddAddam, #1)
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Julie G's review
bookshelves: favorite-books, you-ll-need-an-antidepressant, apocalypse-now, o-canada, hurricane-margaret
Jul 20, 2018
bookshelves: favorite-books, you-ll-need-an-antidepressant, apocalypse-now, o-canada, hurricane-margaret
It's the end of the world as we know it
It's the end of the world as we know it
It's the end of the world as we know it
and Jimmy feels fine.
Jimmy feels fine.
Actually, wait. That's not true. It's the end of the world, and Jimmy's the last human standing and he feels. . . he feels. . . well, Jimmy feels like shit.
He's wrapped in a bed sheet, he's filthy, he's hungry, and he's alone, with nothing but his worries, his regrets and some strange non-humans, known as Crakers, to keep him company.
And why is Jimmy, the B student, the sex addicted playboy, the wordsmith, the Everyman, still alive? Why should HE still exist while almost everyone else has perished?
Well, he had the jackal position and the trust of a madman, known as Crake, and was therefore favored in the end, when Crake's one man show brought the world down.
And as the famous Margaret Mead once said:
Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed people can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.
Yes, Margaret. . . all groups good, and bad, am I right?
This book is a great reminder to beware the despots (know any?), the disgruntled and/or depressed. . . oh, and BIG CORPORATIONS.
There is no madness here that seems a spoof, and dear Ms. Atwood confirms for us at the end of the entire trilogy (this is book #1), that all of the science in her fiction trilogy has a solid basis in truth. Be afraid, people. Be very afraid.
This is dystopian fiction, set not too far in the distant future, and, as always, Ms. Atwood gives us a character who is so real, he appears to have DNA.
Her side characters are surprisingly unformed (there's far more meat overall on the bones of books 2 and 3), but this is the beginning and it's Jimmy's story, and his well-developed self and the unbelievably quotable quality of this story bumped it up to 5 stars for me in this, my re-read.
Oh Jimmy!
Ms. Atwood, who is a literary oracle as far as I'm concerned, doesn't preach to us, just reports:
There are too many people and that makes people bad.
For shit sure, Margaret.
In goddess we trust.
It's the end of the world as we know it
It's the end of the world as we know it
and Jimmy feels fine.
Jimmy feels fine.
Actually, wait. That's not true. It's the end of the world, and Jimmy's the last human standing and he feels. . . he feels. . . well, Jimmy feels like shit.
He's wrapped in a bed sheet, he's filthy, he's hungry, and he's alone, with nothing but his worries, his regrets and some strange non-humans, known as Crakers, to keep him company.
And why is Jimmy, the B student, the sex addicted playboy, the wordsmith, the Everyman, still alive? Why should HE still exist while almost everyone else has perished?
Well, he had the jackal position and the trust of a madman, known as Crake, and was therefore favored in the end, when Crake's one man show brought the world down.
And as the famous Margaret Mead once said:
Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed people can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.
Yes, Margaret. . . all groups good, and bad, am I right?
This book is a great reminder to beware the despots (know any?), the disgruntled and/or depressed. . . oh, and BIG CORPORATIONS.
There is no madness here that seems a spoof, and dear Ms. Atwood confirms for us at the end of the entire trilogy (this is book #1), that all of the science in her fiction trilogy has a solid basis in truth. Be afraid, people. Be very afraid.
This is dystopian fiction, set not too far in the distant future, and, as always, Ms. Atwood gives us a character who is so real, he appears to have DNA.
Her side characters are surprisingly unformed (there's far more meat overall on the bones of books 2 and 3), but this is the beginning and it's Jimmy's story, and his well-developed self and the unbelievably quotable quality of this story bumped it up to 5 stars for me in this, my re-read.
Oh Jimmy!
Ms. Atwood, who is a literary oracle as far as I'm concerned, doesn't preach to us, just reports:
There are too many people and that makes people bad.
For shit sure, Margaret.
In goddess we trust.
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Oryx and Crake.
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Reading Progress
April 1, 2011
– Shelved
July 15, 2018
–
Started Reading
July 16, 2018
–
18.25%
"Hang on to the words," he tells himself. The odd words, the old words, the rare ones. Valance. Norn. Serendipity. Pibroch. Lubricious. When they're gone out of his head, these words, they'll be gone, everywhere, forever. As if they had never been."
page
71
July 17, 2018
–
36.25%
"It was the thumbprints of human imperfection that used to move him, the flaws in the design: the lopsided smile, the wart next to the navel, the mole, the bruise. These were the places he singled out, putting his mouth on them. Was it consolation he had in mind, kissing the wound to make it better? There was always an element of melancholy involved in sex."
page
141
July 19, 2018
–
77.38%
""If you were ninety and you had the chance for one last fuck but you knew it would kill you, would you still do it?" Crake asked him once.
"You bet," said Jimmy.
"Addict," said Crake."
page
301
"You bet," said Jimmy.
"Addict," said Crake."
July 20, 2018
–
Finished Reading
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Sandysbookaday
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Jul 18, 2018 01:13PM
Like the sound of this. Enjoy 😎
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Superbly put... I have yet to read the second and the third in this trilogy and am very much looking forward to it. :) Her dystopias scare me more than Orwell's, and that's a thing...
Sandy,It definitely has my stamp of approval. Disturbing, but important, and so incredibly well-written.
Konstantin,Thank you. Yes, her dystopian fiction does not need to conjure the absurd to provoke; it is disturbingly possible.
Book #2, The Year of the Flood happens to be my favorite. It's when the women show up!
Delightful review, Julie. This was the first Margaret Atwood novel I finished and it compelled me to go back and give The Handmaid's Tale another chance, which ultimately left a deeper impression on me than Oryx and Crake. I think some of it is silly and it is an acquired taste. Atwood tries to imitate no one, that's why she's Margaret Atwood, but I struggled to enjoy much of this.
Thank you, Joe.The first time I read this, I gave it 4 stars. I found both Crake and Oryx underdeveloped as characters, and I found the tidy "wrap up" of how the world was destroyed annoying and too simplistic.
I still had those problems in the re-read, but this time I got so wrapped up in Jimmy and his story as an Everyman. Many of his pleasures are mundane; we take so many of them for granted. I see now how Ms. Atwood was using excessive and hyberbolic language and examples to represent the juxtaposition of how big we think we want to be in contrast to how simple most of us actually want to live. I realized, during this re-read, that she was taking things over-the-top on purpose. I don't think she does anything on accident, do you?
Also, some of these lines!
Jimmy, describing Oryx:
He could never get used to her, she was fresh every time, she was a casketful of secrets. Any moment now she would open herself up, reveal to him the essential thing, the hidden thing at the core of life, or of her life--the thing he was longing to know. The thing he'd always wanted. What would it be?
*swoon*
Great review, Julie! I read this when it first came out and have been meaning to reread it along with the rest of the trilogy. I should probably do that soon!
Another very entertaining review Julie! You should write!! Fantastic!
Love your review, Julie. Have this book languishing on my shelf, Ms, Atwood staged a mini production versus a pure reading from the book. It was outstanding. Actually presented in one of our finest churches. You would have loved it.
Great review. It was a review that told me that 1. the book is not for me, and 2. that's okay. Sounds like strong writing and compelling story - perfect for those fans of the dystopian world out there!
And, Jaline, as always, I thank you!
Catherine,Thank you. My personal favorite is book #2, so if you enjoyed this one, I would encourage you to continue reading the series. It's very cool that the trilogy ends right where it ended it book #1, but your perspective and knowledge have changed.
Karen,You are such a sweetheart. Thank you. Actually, I am a writer; I just have a lot of kids and dogs and reviews are about the only pieces that I finish! I've just begun another novel that will probably take the rest of my life to complete. . .
I'm very intrigued by your marvelous review, Julie. This is one Atwood that I've hesitated to add to my list, as I'm not sure if it will appeal to me personally or not. I do enjoy some dystopian fiction so maybe I should consider it?!
Okay, Antoinette, I'm going to need to know more about this production. . .
Haha! I smiled reading this entire review--love it! :D
Christine,This one is not for you, but I wish you would read either The Edible Woman or The Blind Assassin. Neither are dystopian or scientific and they both feature a well-developed female character.
I'm not sure this one is for me, either, Julie, but I think your review is awesome!
Julie wrote: "Okay, Antoinette, I'm going to need to know more about this production. . ."You are counting on my memory! Hah- It was at a church in Calgary that has great acoustics. So as Ms Atwood read, she had actors performing. I think there was music as well. It was exceptionally well done. I've seen her twice actually, but that was the more memorable. Thanks to a friend, I also had front row seats.
Susanne: xoxo(You made my day yesterday with your precious comment on your review!)
Candi,I think this one could work for you. Yes, it's overdone (intentionally) and yes, it has some disturbing aspects, but overall she keeps humor in it and it's a page turner. The writing, as usual, is so good.
Julie wrote: "Candi,I think this one could work for you. Yes, it's overdone (intentionally) and yes, it has some disturbing aspects, but overall she keeps humor in it and it's a page turner. The writing, as usu..."
Thanks, Julie :) I'm going to add it to my list, but I will likely get to a couple of her others that I've not yet read before reading this one. This will be good for when I need a change in pace!
Julie wrote: "This book is a great reminder to beware the despots (know any?), the disgruntled and/or depressed. . . oh, and BIG CORPORATIONS."I loved this review and especially this prophetic comment!
Kristin,Yea!!
(It was fun meeting you yesterday, by the way!)
Antoinette,I'm biting my nails now, in sheer, old fashioned, green-eyed ENVY!!!
Cheri,I'm on the fence with you and this read, too. Not sure. You've read The Blind Assassin though, haven't you?
Carol,Sorry, we were so busy putting in a bomb shelter and ordering chickens, I hadn't responded to this comment yet. . . You wanna drive up so we can can peaches?
I've had the hardcover sitting on my bookshelf for goodness knows how long... a travesty that must be remedied, considering how much I love reading Margaret Atwood - and I agree, she IS prescient in so many ways. Thank you for the fun review!
Robin,Is it weird that I imagine her as sitting on a giant, gilded throne that is covered with creepy crawlies? I don't know why, but I do. It seems that I am blown away, always, by her writing. I would love to know your impressions of this read.
P.S. Welcome home!
Julie wrote: "Karen,You are such a sweetheart. Thank you. Actually, I am a writer; I just have a lot of kids and dogs and reviews are about the only pieces that I finish! I've just begun another novel that will..."
😮 I had no idea, wonderful!!!!
I love Atwood, and you floored me once again with this review, which I also love. Very well done, Julie.Wowsers!
Ah, Dustin. Thank you. What a disturbing and fabulous read, this one is!
Julie wrote: "Ah, Dustin. Thank you. What a disturbing and fabulous read, this one is!"I long to read it sometime!
I love the liturgical aspect to this, especially as it's closer to the other side of this story, Year of the Flood, which I see you've read.
"In goddess we trust." How true.
Numidica wrote: ""In goddess we trust." How true."Or even, for me, "In godless goodness we trust".
Great review, Julie! Loved how you used REM to begin your discussion. I am currently reading The Year of the Flood, but will most likely read Oryx and Crake again before moving on to Book 3.
Thanks, J.L.I read them as they came out, and by the time I made it to the third book, I forgot some integral bits from book #1 and I went back and reread Orxy and Crake, too.
I loved this book! Almost gave up 1/3 in, but then it clicked. Wow!
GH,What was it, in the beginning, that kept you out of the story? Will you go on to read the rest of the trilogy?
