Title: MaddAddam
Author: Margaret Atwood
Tags: #theyearoftheflood #oryxandcrake
Discovered: Waterstones, Piccadilly
Where read: (In part) The Monocle Cafe, Marylebone
The Word's Shortlist view:
"But hatred and viciousness are addictive. You can get high on them. Once you've had a little, you start shaking if you don't get more"
MaddAddam is the final part of a trilogy which began in 2013 with Oryx and Crake. The novel is set in a future dystopia in which warring groups fight to survive in the aftermath of a apocalyptic man-made plague where 'Crakers' have been bio-engineered to replace humans. Be warned, this is not an easy read but, as with all Atwood novels, the reader is rewarded with exceptional prose and vivid ideas - you just need to stick with it.
Like other Atwood works this is not simply science fiction, her future worlds are so plausible that the author herself describes the writing as 'speculative fiction'. The story weaves together contemporary themes including ecology, the environment and genetic engineering with a thorough injection of dark humour.
At its best this book is widely imaginative in its depiction of a nightmarish future which is more than a little thought provoking.
The trouble with MaddAddam is that, at times, the narrative is over indulgent and concerned with telling a number of back stories that don't push the story on. Ardent fans will relish this but after over 10 years some of the detail here is over cooked.
Amazing writing but commitment required!
Click here for the official book trailer http://youtu.be/a1MGqgOthUM
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