Oryx and Crake

Oryx and Crake was such a fantastic way to finish off the semester of reading, especially because I was so burnt-out on everything. The first page alone was like cold water after a grueling day of gym class; it's intriguing, different, funny, and smart. Part of why I love this novel so much is because it completely shatters any of the prejudice views I have toward science fiction novels. It's true that new, unfamiliar technology plays a role in the piece, but it really takes a back seat to Margaret Atwood's character development and writing style. I also enjoyed how the world was new, and at the same time, I felt like I could relate it to things I already know about. When I was reading the first parts about the Snowman, there were so many references running through my mind, ranging from the film Cast Away staring Tom Hanks, to the beach near my house that I used to often visit during high school to watch the sun set. Though I'm sure that these references make no difference to others that have absolutely no clue what I'm going on about, they helped me feel like the book was part of me, even before I'd read it.

Being an art student, I also appreciated the clarity of the mental images that Atwood presented, starting, again, with the scene of the Snowman on the beach with the children. I imagined him as what many people would call the “typical” homeless man: bearded, with lanky limbs, tough hands, and a ragged wardrobe. Looking beyond that, I could see everything Atwood laid out to be seen. I could even feel the dampness of the water-soaked sand beneath bare feet.

Atwood also ties in something that I mentioned I really loved in Pratchett's work, and that's a sense of humor. In the second part of chapter 1, titled Flotsam, the children won't come very close to the Snowman, and he asks himself if it's out of respect, or because he stinks? Atwood doesn't make it crystal clear that Snowman is thinking this; she ties it into the descriptive passages, leaving out the typical quotation marks. This little change boosts humor, and adds personality to the already personality-saturated text. Overall, I think this book lives up to its author's incredible reputation.