Pajiba

Oh dear! Every time I have ever discussed this book with somebody, we get in an argument.

I got scared and thought this was that other massive Margaret Atwood novel I do not like at all--Alias Grace. Don't ask me why I always confuse the two titles. I feel like Pajiba would have a field day with Awakening, but The Blind Assassin will surely do in a pinch.

I'd definetly say it's a modern Gothic novel. Atwood knows traditional Gothic quite well (what doesn't she know? the woman's a genius) and loves to play around with its conventions. Modern Gothic is all about the isolation, suspicion, and destruction without all the tie-it-in-a-bow logical endings tacked on. There's no "Well obviously this happened because Neptune was in line with Jupiter and Mercury on the fifth Sunday after Arbor Day, focused directly through the city where young Abigail Faintsalot was born." I could do with a few more walking suits of armor and hot naked vampires climbing up castle walls in modern Gothic, but that's a small sacrifice for an inkling of relevancy in publishing today.

To learn more about the modern Gothic fiction, head over to your local library and pick up any book written by Joyce Carol Oates not about Marilyn Monroe, figure skating, or boxing. Avoid Stephen King books not about haunted houses or you'll just confuse yourself. Joe Hill books, however, are strongly encouraged, as are Tananarive Due and Sarah Langan. That should demonstrate the breadth of the spectrum, at least.

I don't know how to classify it, all I know is I read it ages ago and still recommend it to people.

How timely, I just finished this yesterday and have been DYING to talk about it with someone, but of course I don't know anyone else who has read it. I can't wait to talk about it with everyone!

Yiiiiisssss. I heart Margaret Atwood, and this is one of my favorites of her books. Love.

Thanks for the preview, Jen. I'm about 2/3 of the way through and I'm excited to finish it and discuss.

I adore this book, it was one of the first books I read when I moved up from Nancy Drew to "big girl books" (it came out around when I was 11/12 I think) and it absolutely stunned me.

I'm usually pretty take it or leave it on Margaret Atwood, (she thinks she's very funny in deadpan conversation or interviews, I don't. Although, I wouldn't call them conversations so much as 'Excuse to use my rapier wit to dismember the dignity of the peasant with the microphone), but I really, really enjoyed this one. Maybe my favourite of hers. But Surfacing? Ugh. Now I know better, and next time I'll know to choosesth more wisely. When the sage asks if I will take the book or the brother, I take the option wherein I am forced to fellate a goat named Uzdic.

If you're interested in Southern Ontario Gothic (didn't make that up, it's a real genre) follow Timothy Findley and Alice Munro, both wonderful authors and not nearly as self-important. You think All Quiet on the Western Front is harrowing? Read Findley's The Wars. There are moments in that novel that will just rip you apart: That man was talented. And I don't know how she does it, but Munro's stories have this disarming quietude about them but pulls off the feats without imposing smallness on the worlds she creates. That probably sounds like a bag at salt monkeys, but I don't know how better to explain it.

Maybe a statement will get outed as sacrilege, but we gotta step off the the Atwood-hockey-Tragically Hip carousel sometimes, just for kicks, just to see what it's like. Maybe I'm a little pissy because last week they had to go and give Scowlin' Millie another million dollars, like she needs it. Maybe she could spend it on obedience lessons for that ill-bred consort of hers who refuses to speak to taxi drivers or allow them to speak with him. What the stipend?

But, I still enjoyed this book. Hugely.

I loved this book. I picked it up not having read any Atwood previously and I demolished it in short order. Must read it again methinks.

The Blind Assassin is my favorite book! Unfortunately I haven't been able to find it for about a year or so. I think I must have lent it to someone. Oh well, I'm looking forward to hearing others' opinions on it anyway...

Love everything she writes and I think I have read everything she has written. A beautiful writer.

This actually answered my drawback, thanks!

Thanks i like your blog very much , i come back most days to find new posts like this.

Dad's roped @ashsimmonds into playing darts & I'm dangling my feet in the pool talking online dating w/ my bro's GF.