This sci-fi novel is set in the future, when the US has become the state of Gilead, a religious dictatorship. The repressive regime is born out of the fact that only a small minority of women remain fertile. These women are the Handmaids, and are basically hired out to important men in order to procreate. If they fail to do this, or break the strict rules governing their lives, they can become Unwomen and be sent to the radioactive colonies, be hanged and displayed as an example, or maybe even be torn to pieces by fellow humans.
The novel is told from the point of view of the Handmaid Offred (literally, the woman Of Fred). She recounts details of her former life and family, which intertwine with the story of her present. Offred is manipulated by the wife of her Commander, the Commander himself, and finds herself drawn towards his chauffeur/butler/servant, Nick, all of which puts her life in danger. The structure of the book revolves between the past and present, and Offred's encounters with other characters, and there is a reflective section at the end of the book told from many years after the events of the book.
I enjoyed the book, although it's a disturbing story and one that describes certain events in grisly detail. Atwood writes in an unfussy, almost conversational tone, but paints her characters very persuasively and uses symbolism as if it were going out of fashion. I felt that some elements were rather anachronistic - the Compucheck, Compubank, etc. It was Compu-everything - and that some elements were quite obviously borrowed from 1984. Also the 'Historical Notes', the last and reflective part of the book, didn't, I feel, add anything to the story. In fact it detracted from it, in that the deliciously tantalising cliff-hanger at the end of Offred's story is explained away. I think this was added to explain how Offred's internal monologue could have been recorded, but to be honest this part was unnecessary and surperfluous.
In all, however, Atwood's characters and scenario were uniquely presented and uniquely uncomfortable to read. Definitely a book that makes the reader think, and one that, though disturbing, I thoroughly enjoyed. I will certainly return to this book. It has really freaked me out, but I couldn't put it down.
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
Friday, May 13, 2011
1984 by George Orwell
I know this is a 20th C classic but I have never read it before, nor any of Orwell's work for matter, and the only other science fiction book I have ever read is Never Let Me Go. So here are my thoughts about 1984, and maybe it will convince even those who have read it before to pick up this book again and reread it!
For those who do not know the story: Winston Smith lives in a totalitarian state ruled by the Party. Free thought, human emotion and even love are utterly forbidden, and history and truth denied and warped. Winston embarks on a dangerous love affair with the seemingly regime-loyal Julia, whilst attempting in his own small way to undermine the oppressive powers that govern every aspect of his life. Without giving too much away...it lands him in all sorts of trouble in a plot full of twists but also driven by a haunting inevitability.
I absolutely loved this book, and it amazes me how something written 63 years ago is still so terrifyingly relevant. Goldstein, the hate figure, is currently (or until recently) incarnate in Osama bin Laden. Telescreens are everywhere these days - in fact I am typing on one right now, and what's more, it has an undisguised camera facing me - and we even have portable ones that we carry round with us all the time. The News of the World phone hacking scandal show how these telescreens can be used to spy on us. I'm not a conspiracy theorist - well, ok, a bit, but hey, I'm young and revolutionary - but Orwell's vision of an utterly totalitarian future has so many frightening parallels to today. Even the world divided into the three superstates of Oceania, Eurasia and Eastasia is not unrecogniseable. The UK is the only pro-American country in Europe, Europe and the US are terrified of China, India and Russia, and countries as varied as China, the US and Arab states seem to almost fight one another for control of Africa - which is kept impoverished and oppressed. The constant, ever-shifting war? Surely it has several parallels with the War on Terror. It's amazing that Orwell had such foresight back in 1948, and the fact that he was writing just after the Second World War - and had already seen a totalitarian Europe and a whole world at war - and could see no improvement in the future...it's astounding, it really is.
But apart from the continued relevance and frightening foresight of the book, Orwell just writes absolutely compellingly. The ominous inevitability of Winston's end, right from the beginning of the book - 'it would end in the Ministery of Love' - had me gripped. I read the book in stolen snatches, desperate to read on. The portrait of the word imagined by Orwell is beautifully and shockingly painted. The invented world - Thought Crime, Doublethink, Newspeak, the Telescreen, Ingsoc - is horrifyingly believable. Characters are complex and Winston's inner battles are pitched just right. The plot is a real driving force (its only digression is The Book, something which although a bit of a drag compared to the rest of it, but still fascinating). But even Orwell's use of language is absolutely brilliant. My favourite line, the one that stays with me, is when Winston is described as 'gelatinous with fatigue'. Gelatinous! Perfect, glorious description! It's thoughtfully, inventively, bizarrely written, the language straightforward and unfussy but also perfectly judged and wonderfully precise and descriptive.
In short, I loved this book. I haven't been made to think so deeply by a book since I don't know when. But as well as being a thought-provoker, and a political statement, 1984 has beautiful language and perfectly-paced plot to add to its list. And the ending - so inevitable, but utterly surprising. I'd give it 9.99999999999999999 recurring out of 10. The tiny decimal knocked off only because although I admire Orwell's vision, I hope it never becomes true.
For those who do not know the story: Winston Smith lives in a totalitarian state ruled by the Party. Free thought, human emotion and even love are utterly forbidden, and history and truth denied and warped. Winston embarks on a dangerous love affair with the seemingly regime-loyal Julia, whilst attempting in his own small way to undermine the oppressive powers that govern every aspect of his life. Without giving too much away...it lands him in all sorts of trouble in a plot full of twists but also driven by a haunting inevitability.
I absolutely loved this book, and it amazes me how something written 63 years ago is still so terrifyingly relevant. Goldstein, the hate figure, is currently (or until recently) incarnate in Osama bin Laden. Telescreens are everywhere these days - in fact I am typing on one right now, and what's more, it has an undisguised camera facing me - and we even have portable ones that we carry round with us all the time. The News of the World phone hacking scandal show how these telescreens can be used to spy on us. I'm not a conspiracy theorist - well, ok, a bit, but hey, I'm young and revolutionary - but Orwell's vision of an utterly totalitarian future has so many frightening parallels to today. Even the world divided into the three superstates of Oceania, Eurasia and Eastasia is not unrecogniseable. The UK is the only pro-American country in Europe, Europe and the US are terrified of China, India and Russia, and countries as varied as China, the US and Arab states seem to almost fight one another for control of Africa - which is kept impoverished and oppressed. The constant, ever-shifting war? Surely it has several parallels with the War on Terror. It's amazing that Orwell had such foresight back in 1948, and the fact that he was writing just after the Second World War - and had already seen a totalitarian Europe and a whole world at war - and could see no improvement in the future...it's astounding, it really is.
But apart from the continued relevance and frightening foresight of the book, Orwell just writes absolutely compellingly. The ominous inevitability of Winston's end, right from the beginning of the book - 'it would end in the Ministery of Love' - had me gripped. I read the book in stolen snatches, desperate to read on. The portrait of the word imagined by Orwell is beautifully and shockingly painted. The invented world - Thought Crime, Doublethink, Newspeak, the Telescreen, Ingsoc - is horrifyingly believable. Characters are complex and Winston's inner battles are pitched just right. The plot is a real driving force (its only digression is The Book, something which although a bit of a drag compared to the rest of it, but still fascinating). But even Orwell's use of language is absolutely brilliant. My favourite line, the one that stays with me, is when Winston is described as 'gelatinous with fatigue'. Gelatinous! Perfect, glorious description! It's thoughtfully, inventively, bizarrely written, the language straightforward and unfussy but also perfectly judged and wonderfully precise and descriptive.
In short, I loved this book. I haven't been made to think so deeply by a book since I don't know when. But as well as being a thought-provoker, and a political statement, 1984 has beautiful language and perfectly-paced plot to add to its list. And the ending - so inevitable, but utterly surprising. I'd give it 9.99999999999999999 recurring out of 10. The tiny decimal knocked off only because although I admire Orwell's vision, I hope it never becomes true.
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