Margaret attwood

[marissab]

I adore handmaids tale. I love the futuristic 1984-ish bleak future themes. Are her other books along the same themes? I don't know whether they'll live up to HMT.

I have tried really hard to like her books but have found them rather depressing.

I love alias grace! HMT tho, chilling!

Angela Carter isvery good. i read The Magic Toyshop for my 6th form english and absolutely loved it.

I think my biggest problem with her is that she lets her seeming disliking of men get in the way of her stories, so the point becomes more important to her than the telling of a decent story. I felt this particularly strongly in, 'Alias Grace' iirc.

Oh i prefer depressing so it's looking good that she's gonna be top of my list. I am definately gonna read some of her others now. Infact if she's so great, i'm embarressed i've not read more before now HMT is in my top 5 best books ever. Right up there with 1984 and better than brave new world. Love love love it.

Another recommendation for Alias Grace. I've lost my copy but this thread has prompted me to buy it again.

I agree Remus

Cat's Eye is my fave of MA's. The way she depicts bullying is compelling.

Handmaid's Tale is my fave sci-di novel.

Remus you have it wrong

She is a critiquer du royale of men, but i don't think she "dislikes" them

if she makes you feel a bit uncomfortable, then she is doing something right, you see

Bun The Handmaid's Tale is depressing.

But Margaret Atwood foresaw the way women would become the "sex class" in her novel, and there are many parallels in today's society

And yes, it is uncomfortable to comprehend. It doesn't make it any less relevant, or any less so fucking clever though

She doesn't make me feel uncomfortable at all though - she just annoys me a bit.

Why ? Because she nails it so smoothly, elegantly and efficiently ?

Yes, that can be annoying, I guess.

Love The Penelopiad - looks at Penelope's life maintaining a kingdom while Odysseus was away. Short book too, double bonus.

Nope - you won't convince me. At her best (ie HMT) I think she is sublime - I just don't think she is always at her best.

You are entitled to your opinion

Ian McEwan annoys Remus, too. Maybe I should read some Margaret Attwood

Oh and what does "critiquer du royale" mean?

I made it up, cote

You have a problem with that ?

No problem, just funny

Have you not read The Handmaid's Tale, Cote? I think you'd like it.

I do like The Penelopiad. Think its my favourite (although my first was HMT of course). Cats Eyes made the most uncomfortable reading for me.

DH makes up phrases like that, and he has been living here for 10 years. Your "critiquer" illustrates one of funnier mistakes: In French, -er at the end of a verb makes it infinitive. Aller (to go), manger (to eat), critiqued (to critique).

You should see waiters cringe as he tries to order something from the menu

Oh dear

No, I haven't read HMT. I read a bit about it and thought I wouldn't like it. I generally don't like books written by women, and among those hold a special distrust for the ones about feminist issues.

Do you really think I would like it?

Argh, critiquer = to critique, obviously.