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Title: The Edible Woman by MARGARET ATWOOD ISBN: 0-385-49106-9 Publisher: Anchor Pub. Date: 16 March, 1998 Format: Paperback Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $13.95 |
Average Customer Rating: 4.29 (31 reviews)
Rating: 5
Summary: Captivating and Consuming
Comment: I just finished The Edible Woman a few minutes ago and felt compelled to write a review. This is only the second novel by Atwood that I've read and look foward to reading from her.
Very rarely do I ever finish a book without wanting to take a "break" from reading it. Atwood has a way of captivating the reader through her use of irony, character development and symbolism. Marian represents any woman who feels consumed by societal ideals--enough to ultimately reject it. But it is obvious that she still craves someone to escape with her. Peter is her answer to fit into what the world belives she should become while Clara seems to foreshadow what she would turn out to become if she were to be with Peter. Duncan is the antithesis of this, which attracts Marian. His gaunt figure seems to show his refusal to accept reality or consumption of ideals. Everything that I've only dreamed I could do (run away on a whim) is done, or merely attempted by Marian.
I know I'm rambling, but I thoroughly enjoyed this novel and cannot wait to read more of her works.
Rating: 4
Summary: A tasty treat!
Comment: I will have to admit that curiosity is the prime reason for reading this book. The back cover blurb doesn't give much by way of details of the actual storyline, just that the main character feels like she is being eaten. I couldn't stop myself from reading this book after reading that! However, the story wasn't exactly what I was expecting, although it was still pretty good.
Set in Canada in the late 1960s, the women's role in life is slowly trying to break free from the 50s television version of the housewife that vacuums in pearls and heels. Marian, a recent college graduate, considers herself a pretty independent woman. Even her relationship with her boyfriend, Peter, doesn't get in the way of her independence. She lives on her own with her roommate and best friend, Ainsley, and she makes her own living as copywriter for a survey service. But when, out of the blue, Peter proposes marriage, strange things start happening. Marian begins to feel consumed with making plans, quitting her job, moving in with Peter, and settling down for her role as housewife. All of a sudden she can't eat certain things and she has strange panic attacks that come from nowhere. Her freedom is being threatened, but Marian sees no way out. Or is there?
While Marian's story is the core of this novel, the host of supporting characters intrigued me the most. Ainsley decides she wants to have a baby and begins her search to find the lucky man to help her out. Marian's friend, Clara, and her husband, Joe, provide a stunning example of what married/family life will be like (and not always in a good way). Then there's Duncan, a man who answers the door when Marian is out doing surveys, who has his own issues. All of these storylines are full of feminist symbolism, and I believe it is important to know this before you read the book. It will definitely help you understand the novel more clearly.
I'm a new Atwood fan, having read and loved The Handmaid's Tale just a month ago. And while The Edible Woman is not as exhilarating or fascinating like Handmaid, I still found it to be very well-written with an interesting storyline, despite its heavy symbolism that mostly went over my head (I'm not too good at picking that stuff out!). I have two other Atwood books on my shelf and I'm looking forward to reading them. I believe that imagination and originality is Atwood's forte, and I have high hopes that the rest of her novels will provide a healthy dose.
Rating: 5
Summary: Fascinating Read--I couldn't put it down
Comment: I first read this when I was 11, and thought it was pretty good. Then, at 16, I have decided to reread many books I read when I was younger to see if I could get more out of them. Boy, did I get more out of this book. It's hilarious and written in such a light manner, but can also get serious at moments. Atwood has done the book in an odd, rather creative style. The first fifty pages or so are written in first person, then it switches to third person as Marian unwittingly becomes prey to her own lifestyle, then back to first person again at the end. Throughout the book, Marian seems overly concerned with being percieved as "normal", yet it innately attracted to Duncan, the very opposite of normal. She has a bit of a double life going for a while, where on one end she has Peter, who at one point she describes as elevated ordinariness.
As Marian slowly loses her ablity to eat, she also becomes consumed by her life with Peter and her life with Duncan. Peter loves her, Duncan doesn't even like her that much. They are both extraordinarily selfish individuals, though Duncan is a bit more overt about it.
Marian sees the different choices she can make as far as her life is concerned in her female friends. Clara has tons of babies already, and Ainsley is convinced that she has to have a child alone in order to fully experience her feminimity. There are also the "office virgins", who are restless to snag the life Marian has with Peter. They want normalcy.
Marian doesn't know what she wants, so she lets Peter take over and make most of the decisions. But really she isn't satisfied with this and turns to Duncan. She kind of drifts, not really ever concerned with making a decision between the two, not really sure that she has to.
Atwood is one of my favorite writers because she creates such complex situations in her stories and her characters are all so dimensional. This story is a fascinating read, and I highly recommend it as well as any of her other novels.
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Title: Lady Oracle by MARGARET ATWOOD ISBN: 0385491085 Publisher: Anchor Pub. Date: 13 April, 1998 List Price(USD): $12.95 |
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Title: Oryx and Crake by Margaret Atwood ISBN: 0385503857 Publisher: Nan A. Talese Pub. Date: 06 May, 2003 List Price(USD): $26.00 |
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Title: Life Before Man by Margaret Atwood ISBN: 0385491107 Publisher: Anchor Pub. Date: 13 April, 1998 List Price(USD): $13.00 |
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Title: Cat's Eye by Margaret Atwood ISBN: 0385491026 Publisher: Anchor Pub. Date: 20 January, 1998 List Price(USD): $13.95 |
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Title: Dancing Girls by Margaret Atwood ISBN: 0385491093 Publisher: Anchor Pub. Date: 18 May, 1998 List Price(USD): $12.00 |
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