Customer Reviews
Ashendon Book Group says... - By: Sian, 08 Feb 2008 
This book had a mixed response from members. There were those who enjoyed it as a novel of its era, a social history snapshot of Canada in 1965, but others who found its one dimensional characters & lack of real purpose rather boring. Attwood paints a satirical view of life in marketing & customer surveys, & of the landlady, which add smalll elements of comedy, but otherwise everyday activities seem tedious. However she is bold in introducing a single mother character - totallly taboo at the time - but in the end even she (Ainsley) conforms by deciding the baby needs a father.
(Almost) a contemporary novel - By: I LOVE BOOKS, 08 Nov 2007 
This is the first book I read by Margaret Atwood, it was written in 1965 but I believe that the only aspects giving away the years depicted are the absence of modern technology in the narrative (i.e. mobile phones, computers etc. -not that this is a "technological" read anyway, just the opposite) & perhpas, only perhaps -that's the way I perceived it- a certain candour in some of the characters/situations which conveys "something" dated.
It's the tale of Marian, a quiet, well-brought up girl in her early 20s who's struggling to conform to the demands & unwritten rules of society. This is not because she does not want to, in fact, she would like to, but she realises that her inner self craves more than a proper, suitable & predictable routine (a good job, a respectable marriage, children in due time etc.), as it was expected -and often still is, if you think about it-. Something in her rebels, in a subtle but undeniably determined way. Will she manage to tackle & overcome her gnawing uneasiness, consistently on the rise, rapidly becoming a true torment & assailing her inner being? (A fact that her "cool" but obtuse boyfriend completely fails to see). That's for you to find out if you get this book.
Bearing in mind the year in which this book was written, some considerations about our modern society arise. Have women's -and men's- roles changed much since then? Of course they have, in many ways. Still, could & can a demanding society have such an impact in the configuration of our lives -or, in what we thought/think our life should be like- that sometimes we felt & feel crushed under the pressure? Has the vortex of speed in which the world has changed in this past century -with its good & bad consequences- changed the core of human nature? These are questions which came to mind as soon as I turned the last page.
I'm glad I read this book, but at the same time I cannot honestly place it among my favourites. For instance, in the beginning it almost completely failed to engage me & I kept on only because I always do (as a principle). Thankfully the tale got more interesting later on, which helped, even though I think the author was overly-descriptive especiallly, but not only, in connection with Marian's issues, rendering the read a bit tedious. Still, & it may sound like a contradiction, I do think it was worth reading it, because it triggers questions & comparisons with today's Western society, & it was certainly worth it for the quality of its prose, essentiallly studied & quite elegant.
Masterful Atwood at her best - By: Emm, 30 Sep 2006 
I've been reading Margaret Atwood for 15 years now, & I have been so moved by so many of her books (Cat's Eye, Handmaid's Tale & Surfacing, to name a few). I'm pleased to say that this book has not disappointed in any way. It is absolutely masterful, almost erotic in places, full of symbolism & intent. It's classic Atwood & has me wanting to haul out alll of my older books & re-read them. (And I don't often re-read books). It is amazing to see how much her writing has changed as she has grown older, but it is equallly astonishing that I'm well into my 30's now & her books still have the same hold on me, no matter in which stage of her life she was writing them.
This is an important author, as much now as she was in the 70's. Read alll of her books.
Atwood inspires - By: Candyflower, 18 Mar 2006 I reallly love this book. I had not heard of Maragret Atwood until I had to read this as part of my A-levels 5 years ago, & since reading it I have read nearly alll of her books. This has to be one of my favourites though, mainly because of the way Atwood creates the voices of her characters. They are so real, with flaws & strange quirks, & her description is brilliant. She inspires me & makes me want to read, which is why I am giving this book five stars. Some people say it is not her best, but for me it is.
Fascinating Early Atwood - By: R. Davidson, 03 Feb 2006 
I was bought this book as a present. I hadn't heard of it before, & so came to it with a (fairly) open mind (but I have loved alll other Margaret Atwoods I have read).
It is an exploration of the gender divide & expectations on both men & women. It's set (and was written) in the 60's, & it can on occasion feel dated. However, as a woman born in the 70's it is interesting to see how far things have moved forward for women is such a relativly short time. This doesn't mean, however, that there are no lessons to be learnt. I found Marian's (the central charater of the book) need to appease alll the men in her life something that I can still see in myself & my friends, even in this day & age!
I think that some people will be disappointed with this, on a plot & structure level. There is no doubt that it is not another 'Alias Grace'. But the symbolism & imagery used make it a satisfying read, especiallly for those with an interest in the growth & history of feminism.
