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Oryx and Crake by Margaret Atwood #bookreview

05 Wednesday Dec 2018

Posted by wishvintage in ATWOOD, Margaret, Book Reviews

≈ 4 Comments

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book review, Dystopian, Handmaids Tale, Margaret Atwood

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“Pigs might not fly but they are strangely altered.  So, for that matter, are waves and racoons,  A man, once …

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  • A-Z of Crime Fiction
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    • ADEANE, Anthony
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Cake to Basics - Mrs Beeton's Victoria or Jam Sandwiches Recipe
The Salem Witch Trials - What's the Story?
Queens Cakes - Mrs Beeton Recipe - A Little Antique Royal Gem!
A-Z of Crime Fiction. C is for Agatha Christie
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My latest @womensprize long list read is A Thousand Ships by Natalie Haynes. It was inadvertently the most perfect follow up to The Song of Achilles as A Thousand Ships is the story of the women in the Trojan War, the Queen of Troy and her daughters, Penelope the wife of Odysseus and loads of others including Helen of course. Each chapter progresses the time line of the Trojan War from the siege to the death of Achilles and the fall of Troy. And some years later the eventual return of Odysseus. It’s beautifully written. I really enjoyed it though it’s taken me ages because I’ve been distracted and sometimes reading about plagues sent by the gods is not the best tonic. I loved reading both of these books, Song of Achilles and this, very much. I realised on reading Circe a few years ago how little I knew about this time period. So highly recommend them all. But not the Brad Pitt film Troy which is an awful Hollywood take on such an interesting historic period. #womenreading #womenwriting #womensprize #womensprizeforfiction #womensprizelonglist #whatimreading #whatimreadingnow #troy #greekmythology #book #books #fiction #bookblogger #bookstagram
That’s the first read done of the previous winners of the @womensprize. @womensprize is hosting a year long read along of their previous winners and this is my first completed so far, Madeline Millers’ Song of Achilles. It’s the story of Patroclus. At a young age he accidentally kills another boy and us exciled by his father the King. He goes to live at the court of King Peleus, father to the young Prince Achilles. Patroclus and Achilles become good friends and finally lovers. Patroclus accompanies Achilles to fight for Helen at Troy and they spend years there fighting battle. Until the bitter end. This is a fictional tale on the story of Achilles and one that has been on my TBR for such a long time. I read Circe when this was long listed a few years ago and absolutely adored it, one of my favourite books that I force on everyone. And they are glad of it. I found Song of Achilles a tougher read if I’m honest. Miller is still a magnificent story teller. She does not waste a word and the words she uses are beautiful and powerful. I’ve wondered why I didn’t like this one as much. Perhaps because it was her first novel and she had developed by Circe. Perhaps just because I read Circe first? Perhaps I just preferred Circe as a character? No matter what though I completely understand why it won and feel pretty lucky to have read both and be able to have a favourite in Circe. What go you think? Did you prefer one? I highly recommend both I have to say. Very highly. I met Madeline Miller once. She was a very humble and lovely lady. And I very much look forward to her next book #womenwrite #womenwriters #womensprizeforfiction #womensprize #book #books #bookreview #whatimreading #bookstagram #fiction #read #madelinemiller #madelinemillercirce
First up on this years @womensprize long list is Queenie by Candice Carty-Williams. Queenie is a 20 something living in London. She’s Afro Caribbean heritage. She works as a journalist, has three best friends, a mother who she is pretty estranged from, excellent grandparents and a boyfriend who she’s having a three month break from, at his request. She’s moved out of their flat, at his request. And the book follows those few months of her life as she unravels. Oh my goodness me what a spectacular book this is. I inhaled it in a day. That characters are so wonderfully written and so very real. The scenes are so alive. I sobbed at points with the wonderful Queenie. She is magnificent. She is a Queen. As someone who has a fairly estranged relationship with my own mum I found the scenes between them so emotional and sensitive. Queenie mental health is dealt with so well. Panic attacks are described so very clearly. I was there with her. I really felt like I understood Queenie and that she’d understand me. But I’m glad that in the main her friends were pretty awesome. I really can find no fault in this book. It is just beautiful and would make a worthy winner. #womensprize #womensprizeforfiction #womensprizelonglist #womensprize2020 #queenie #queeniecandicecartywilliams #book #booksiveread #whatimreading #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #fiction #fictionbooks #wishvintagereads
To get my bookstagramming going again I’ve raided my bookshelves this morning. I’ve decided that, as well as trying to read the @womensprize long list for this year, I’ll also try to read previous winners. But I’ve just realised that on this photo I’ve put one of this years nominees. I wonder if this is a premonition! I’m going to leave it in case it is. I love the @womensprize - I’ve read some amazing books because of it and I’m pleased that some of the amazing books I’ve read have been recognised by it. I trust this book award very much for pointing me in the right direction I have to say. I wouldn’t have read Kamilla Shamsie’s Home Fire without it and that was just fabulous. I’ll share my thoughts after I’ve read each longlister and previous winner. I’ll reread the winners I’ve already read. Which is exciting for On Beauty by Zadie Smith because I love that book. One of my favourites. So, here goes, who’s with me #womensprize #womensprizeforfiction #womensprizelonglist #womensprize2020 #bookstagrammer #bookstagram #book #whatimreading #whatimreadingnow
Wool is the first book in a dystopian trilogy. The setting is an underground silo that sits with over 100 levels and only a staircase to go up and down. Right at the bottom is mechanical where the workers sort out the pumps and generators and keep them going. Working up through the levels you find supply, IT and finally the mayor and sheriff. The story starts with the sheriff who’s wife, we find out, was the last person sent out of the silo for cleaning. Cleaning is a punishment. You get suited up to go out and clean the cameras so that the outside can be seen more clearly. The toxic air and storms makes them grubby. The toxic air kills you if you go outside. The sheriff, it seems, has gone slightly mad - is it from the grief or wanting to go outside? He volunteers. And then they have to find a new sheriff. The mayor and the deputy journey to mechanical to recruit Juliet into the role. She was involved in an investigation a few years ago and impressed the police team. This book is about Juliet. What happens to her and what impact she has in the silo. I thought it was a really good story, great characters. Plenty of good and bad guys, plenty of action and plenty of surprises. I’m ready to go with book 2 now which is about how it all came to be! #wishvintagereads
One of my favourite reads last year was The Electricity of Every Living Thing by @katherinemay_ a wonderful account of walking the SW Coastal Path coupled with working out what an aspergers diagnosis meant to her. Yesterday I saw Katherine partake in a panel talk at the @favlitfest where she spoke about her book alongside a book about wild swimming. The topics were really interesting but made me want to go outside much more. Just like reading the book had done. But the panel were totally ok with tech too discussing for instance how autistic people are able to find a community through an online presence. Just as our vintage community has come about here. Life is definitely about connections, no matter how they come about! #wishvintagereads.
This book was written by one of the original FBI agents in the Behavioural Science Dept and he who was inaugural to actually interviewing serial killers to figure out how they tick. I initially watched the @netflixuk drama based on it which I loved. The book is much more factual and personal. There were moments where I really knew I’d have struggled to deal with the authors ego if I met him. Thankfully that will never happen so I can just say this book is very interesting, very insightful and not as gratuitous as most serial killer books tend to be. I really understand now how they can work out the possible age of an offender but make and model of car is surely witchcraft? #wishvintagereads
So guys I stayed in bed to finish this this morning because I have really struggled to put it down. I saw it had won the Costa Book Awards ahead of Sally Rooney and when I read the premise I knew I had to read it. And what a story. Well, a true story! About a little Jewish girl living in Holland at the start of WWII who’s parents sadly part with her to give her a chance of living. Her biographer is an Oxford Professor who’s grandparents were the first family she lived with. He tells her story with great care and respects both her and his own relatives in such a sensitive way. He also weaves into the story events of the bigger picture, what was happening in Holland whilst this little girl hid. And somehow he brilliantly weaves in the now. What is happening in our world that is mirrored in what happened then. Only when you read of her and the last family having to pack up their things and leave because the Germans are coming can you sense that this really could happen to you. This is an interesting, poignant and sad story and I highly recommend it #wishvintagereads
My reading year was hectic last year, about 80 books. On reviewing what I read it was really obvious that I hadn’t read many male authors at all. Which felt odd. So inspired by @whatmeworry_reads and his pursuance of an all female 2018 I am going to purposefully seek out male authors. Here’s a pile of what some of you recommend and a couple of previews I’ve been sent that I’m really excited about. I’ll keep you up to date with how it does. What male authors do you swear by?

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