The Blind Assassin

This book came on time for my high-school daughter. She needed a nice copy for a book report due soon. I wanted her to be able to read and reread the book without it falling apart. I was pleasantly surprised to find the book in better condition than described. It will be a keepsake for her library. The price was very budget friendly. A like new book for a fraction of the price.

Margaret Atwood obviously is a very gifted wordsmith with a clear grasp of the human condition. I bought this book at the recommendation of a friend and finished it because I needed to have some closure. The story (stories) carry you along into really odd places, which is part of the draw. the insights and ramblings of an old woman who is misunderstood by almost everyone she knows, coupled with the tumultuous lives going on around her are very cleverly set forth in the narrative. This is a good read for those who like engrossing stories of families, time and ordinary people living ordinary lives.

I feel enriched when I read Atwood beyond entertainment. Her rich description and insight into the human condition offer much more satisfaction than the mere advancement of a suspenseful plot. Her love of words improves my own vocabulary without being so esoteric that I feel I'm being "schooled."

The Blind Assassin is lyrical writing at its best. There are passages in this book that make you stop, think, and re-read them several times. The book is wonderfully entertaining, and the science fiction story within a story is fun. It's a great story and in the end it is about love, loss, regret, chance opportunities and missed opportunities. Read it.

Convoluted story in long chunks of history plus outrageous fantasy substory. Can be confusing until you grasp the narrative mode. Mysterious. Good characters. A bit predictable. Like her writing style.

I read constantly, so few books really stand out in my mind. This is an exception. This is one of the greatest books I've ever read. The plot is complex and interesting, the characters seem real, and Atwood is a master at intertwining the different narratives.
One word of caution: You will want to read it at least twice. The first reading will amaze you with Atwoods abilities as an author, but you'll need the second reading to truly understand the novel... maybe even a 3rd or 4th.

As always, Margaret Atwood has written a beautifully handcrafted story. Actually, it's a story inside a story, telling a story about another story. The book is lengthy, 500 pages or so. I wanted to like this book, I really did. The writing style is so well done. But the story did not thrill me as I had expected it would. I could not reconcile the characters in their different ages and personalities. It just didn't work. The book became mired down and was too long. I was so glad to get to the ending. This book was not my cup of tea.

A tad slow towards the beginning, but what seems dry or odd gets engrossing over time-- who would have thought that wealthy Canadians from the early 20th century lived such interesting lives. And at about the 70% mark (I read on kindle) it gets to be difficult to put down. Excellent book. Go for it.

This novel is vast and detailed; mesmerising and heartbreaking. The writing is exceptional as is the rich social history underlying the characters and the changing world in which they move. It is an astonishing piece of work at every single level. Original, beautifully written, with vivid characters whose complexity means your response to them varies and develops as the story unfolds. It is, truly, an incredible book.
It haunts you as you read, and it clings to your skin as you reach the final pages. Breathtaking in the way that all great novels are, Margaret Atwood's The Blind Assassin is a literary treasure trove. I can't recommend it enough.

Margaret Atwood crafts her words so perfectly and beautifully that you feel as though you're sucked into the scene and watching it happen as a bystander.
On the surface, a description of this novel might seem boring i.e The reminiscing of an old woman if her childhood days, almost her autobiography interjected with snippets of her current daily life. And yet, it is one of the most thrilling and captivating books I've read. You almost cannot wait to delve back into her world and hear her stories.
They follow her younger self and her sister, her father, the war, the revolution, a forbidden affair and, placed throughout, the creation of a novel called "The Blind Assassin" by a young rogue and his lover.
I love her style of writing, her ability to make what could be a mundane topic exhilarating and the beautiful way she crafts the story so vividly that you could be there.

Maybe my expectations were too high? With all the hoopla regarding this book I certainly expected a lot more than what I got out of it. First of all it took forever for me to finnish reading the book. Though generally I'm a pretty fast reader, this one was a struggle, but I was not going to give up.I am really not sure what the point of the story was except that a lonely older women reflecting on her life.Well I wish the author would have made the reading more interesting and somewhat smoother because at least she had an interesting story line.Other than that, it certainly did not offer anything else but disappointment. Sorry about that.Thank you.

Brilliantly woven, complex story that allows for a wonderful book club discussion. It can be read on many different levels with many different interpretations, all of which are fascinating. Best literary novel I've read in many years.

I honestly couldn't finish the book entirely. It started out with an intriging concept people dying in questionable circumstances, lovers meeting in secret, and a science fiction story woven in; however, it quickly turned into generic married the wrong person, children molested, horrible life content that I have grown so tired of. The narrarator was often boring and the book moved at a snails pace. If you enjoy dark books, you might enjoy this, but if you are like me and enjoy more uplifting books, this is not the book for you. I have never read Margaret Attwood before so I went into this with out any preconcieved notions, but I can't say I will probably read anything else by her.

The book was in great condition, and the plot was great! Love Margaret Atwood! But if you're not an avid reader, or of a lower reading level, I would recommend another of her works. This switches from a couple of different stories and perspectives and can be a little hard to follow if you aren't expecting it. Maybe try The Handmaid's Tale from her. It's fantastic!!!

This was an interesting story, very descriptive. I mean really really descriptive. It had about 10,000 too many words. Ms Atwood is a very well known author, and I'm sure she has many fans. I'm just not a fan of her style.

Full disclosure, haven’t read it yet so this review is not based on my opinion of the content or author. That being said I’ve never been disappointed with Atwood’s work.

I received a brand new copy, as expected, in perfect condition. All pages intact, so far no issues found concerning the printing itself. Very satisfied with this purchase, considering I paid far less than the price listed on the back cover.

I really like Margaret Atwood's writing. This is the second book of hers I read, after The Handmaid's Tale, and I'm determined to read her complete works. Having said that, I didn't find this particular story very original: a love story, a war, a secret, some abuse and regret. You could see the ending coming. The prose though was worth it.

Our book club picked this and except for the person who read it a while ago and suggested it, not a single one of the 7 others finished this. I tried several times but just could not follow the structure, did not like the characters, and it just made no sense to me!