The Edible Woman by Margaret Atwood
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I got an e-reader for my birthday recently and the first book I read on it was this one. I don’t know if it was because of the new piece of technology or the book itself, but it read like slicing a hot knife through butter!
I loved the writing style. It was easy to follow, yet still intelligent and excellent material to try out the Kindle’s built-in Oxford Dictionary since there were quite a few words in it I hadn’t aquainted yet.
The book is devided into three parts. Part 1 is where we get to know Marian and all the other quirky characters. I was so fond of all of them which makes it hard to pick any favourites. Ainsley, Clara and Duncan are unforgettable. Yet Joe, Peter, Travis, Fish, the office virgins, the lady down below…they’re all priceless and downright hilarious at times.
Describing part 2 and/or 3 would be describing spoilers mostly, so I’ll leave those parts out and just make a few more general comments instead.
The story was a bit scary at times. (view spoiler). I totally understood the whole losing your identity-part. Especially when it’s because you’re forced to play a certain role by society. I recently got engaged myself and everytime I put down the book, I felt extremely relieved that I wasn’t living in the ’60’s/early ’70’s. Or anytime earlier for that matter when it comes down to the role a woman was supposed to play back then (and still is to a certain extend). I don’t think I could’ve done it myself either. Luckily, my fiancé is a lot less of a domestic jackass like Peter! The scene where he was putting his ashtray on Marian’s back just filled me with indignation.
If it wasn’t for the last quarter of the book, I would’ve given it 5 stars. The last bits and pieces felt a bit rushed to me; the whole ‘edible’ part doesn’t start until about halfway through the book.
If Atwood’s work is always as lovely written as this one, I can’t wait to read all of her (more than 35) books!
Inked Brownies 
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