Comments on: Review: Margaret Atwood’s The Blind Assassin

By: Getting Lost in Rome « Ellen in Albania

Getting Lost in Rome « Ellen in Albania — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 09:01:53 +0000

[...] I’d have to wait six more months for (Zone One, The Marriage Plot, and also an old book – The Blind Assassin); I went to New York and nearly cried because the city was too big, and also got on subways going [...]

By: rebeccareid

rebeccareid — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 22:07:41 +0000

I’m so glad you enjoyed this so much. I got it years ago but have hesitated to pick it up for some reason. Sounds like I should give it a try!

By: Ellen Rhudy

Ellen Rhudy — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 13:33:33 +0000

I remember hearing of that book now – had forgotten all about it. Since I’ve loved the two Atwood novels I’ve read, I’m sure I’ll love this – I’m really curious to read Atwood’s thoughts on genre fiction. She does such a fantastic job of weaving elements of sci-fi into her work. With the interior novel in The Blind Assassin, it threw me off initially (just in the first section I read, when I was still trying to figure out what was going on), but it added so much to the story. In part, I think, because within that interior novel there was this fantastic sci-fi-ish sort of story. So many authors get lazy when they’re dealing with interior stories or novels that exist only within the world of their novels (you know, sort of mentioning the book or themes but never actually showing us parts of the stories, because they’d inevitably have the same voice as the exterior story housing them). I love that Atwood was so careful with the interior Blind Assassin.

By: Shivanee @ Novel Niche

Shivanee @ Novel Niche — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 21:08:27 +0000

It’s funny…I bought a gorgeous hardcover edition of this book (the one you have pictured, I’m reasonably sure), and when buying it, I thought, ‘I am going to be utterly given over to this book when I begin it, in a way that won’t condone me even picking up another title until I’ve finished it.’

I’m almost certain 2012 won’t end without me having read it, and having been spellbound by it. I’m particularly interested to see how the multiplicity of layering is handled. I confess the idea of the interior novel is what’s moving me the most.

Also on my to-read list from Atwood (among many others) is her 2011 publication of nonfic. essays, ‘In Other Worlds – SF and the Human Imagination’. Have you heard of it?

By: curlygeek04

curlygeek04 — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 15:13:56 +0000

It’s been a while since I read this, but everything Atwood writes is amazing. She’s one of my heroes. Thanks for the thoughtful review.

By: Christy

Christy — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 23:03:19 +0000

I liked Atwood’s writing in The Blind Assassin (first book I’ve read by her) and you reminded me of the sections about Iris when she is old. I had forgotten about them though I thought they were quite atmospheric at the time. I didn’t like Laura much, especially because sometimes it seemed like she was being portrayed as a ‘better’ person.

By: Ellen Rhudy

Ellen Rhudy — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 09:57:06 +0000

I’d love to read your thoughts on a reread. This is one of those books I finished KNOWING I had to return – it seems like it’ll grow a lot on a reread. There’s so much in it that I’m sure I missed on the first reading, maybe in part because I fell so in love with the story that I was reading a couple hundred pages a day.

By: Ellen Rhudy

Ellen Rhudy — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 09:55:58 +0000

I love that “buzz” of reading – and the moment when you realize that a book is going to be extraordinary. I’ve loved both this and The Handmaid’s Tale, so I’m looking forward to starting on Alias Grace. (Well, and the rest of her backlist.)

By: zeteticat

zeteticat — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 00:49:18 +0000

What a lovely review. Also a fantastic reminder that I need to read this book again. 2012 might prove to be the year that is 1/4 rereads. I’m so glad you enjoyed it.

By: whisperinggums

whisperinggums — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 23:25:51 +0000

This is such a wonderful and clever book … read it many many years ago now but I still remember the buzz I had reading it, and my bookgroup’s discussion re when each of us “got” what was going on. Atwood at her best … along with Alias Grace and The handmaid’s tale … but this is my pick to date of hers.