The Year of the Flood
Remember when I said I wouldn't have time for much reading in January? Yeah, I'm laughing at past-me, too. I'd forgotten to factor in my complete lack of social life this month. I purposely don't make plans with anyone, as a way of recovering fully from the holidays. Add in the lack of alcohol (Kevin and I don't drink between New Year's Day and his birthday, also to recover from the holidays) and I end up spending many a weekend night reading into the wee hours.
It also helps that Atwood's The Year of the Flood, like Oryx and Crake before it, is a really quick read. There's a lot here, but something about the format makes this book just whiz by. It's broken up into small sections that alternate between characters and timelines. Each section is only a few pages long, so it's easy to squeeze in "just one more" throughout the day. Oryx and Crake followed a similar pattern, and I hope in continues through the finale. It will make it that much easier to re-read this trilogy. And I'll need to re-read it.
The Year of the Flood takes place at the same time as the first book, but focuses on a different group of characters. There is some overlap, though, which means that the two books function as an almost perfect diptych. Jimmy comes across as both more callous and more pitiful as we learn the stories of a few of the women he slept with. Their perspective adds so much to the world, and it makes nearly everyone more sympathetic. I'm so glad this book gave me characters I could really care about and root for. It really enhances what was already a pretty spectacular world.
Now that I've read this, MaddAddam has shot up my to-read list. I'll definitely pick it up the next time I'm in a bookstore. And then I'll have to go back through and catch everything I missed the first time.
It also helps that Atwood's The Year of the Flood, like Oryx and Crake before it, is a really quick read. There's a lot here, but something about the format makes this book just whiz by. It's broken up into small sections that alternate between characters and timelines. Each section is only a few pages long, so it's easy to squeeze in "just one more" throughout the day. Oryx and Crake followed a similar pattern, and I hope in continues through the finale. It will make it that much easier to re-read this trilogy. And I'll need to re-read it.
The Year of the Flood takes place at the same time as the first book, but focuses on a different group of characters. There is some overlap, though, which means that the two books function as an almost perfect diptych. Jimmy comes across as both more callous and more pitiful as we learn the stories of a few of the women he slept with. Their perspective adds so much to the world, and it makes nearly everyone more sympathetic. I'm so glad this book gave me characters I could really care about and root for. It really enhances what was already a pretty spectacular world.
Now that I've read this, MaddAddam has shot up my to-read list. I'll definitely pick it up the next time I'm in a bookstore. And then I'll have to go back through and catch everything I missed the first time.
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