Resumo de The Blind Assassin

Atwood has long been a favorite author of mine. Her strong socio-political views color every word she writes, yet her ability to weave the fabric of her story without having to browbeat her reader with her views is extraordinary. The Blind Assassin is a superb example of a story whose female characters express varying degrees of Atwood's strongly feminist slant on life without being mawkishly obvious about it.

One of the aspects of The Blind Assassin that makes the book stand out is the novel inside a novel approach Atwood took with this book. Not only is the reader pulled along with the story of the Chase sisters' lives and the affect they had on the lives of others, but is also drawn in by the story created in stolen, treasured moments by two lovers who remain unknown until the end of the book.

I found the book compelling from the first page, where we are greeted with Atwood's unusual style as we read of the first tragedy in the lives of the Chase sisters - Laura's suicide, as told by Iris. Following this is a coroner's report, then our first glimpse of the story within our story. Then we go back to the story of the sisters themselves. When the book would have become cumbersome in its telling of two stories interspersed with dry news clippings highlighting significant life events for the Chase sisters, it does not. It simply flows gently along, pulling you in deeper with each word.

Throughout the novel I was impressed by how human Atwood's characters were. From the most evil people to stumble through the Chase sisters' lives (Richard, Winnifred) to the gentlest (Father, Reenie) and every type in between, we can relate to the characters completely. More than anything else this makes the story strong - as we read we can identify with the kind of people who surround the main characters in addition to relating to the main characters themselves. We all know someone overbearing and cruel, someone a little spacey and not of this world, someone too kind for their own good, someone power hungry, someone who is the family stalwart.....and because of this familiar ring to the story, it bonds us with the Chase sisters from the start.

It took me well over half of the novel to realize that I was as drawn by the novel within as I was by the story of the sisters. Part of this was the repeated symbolism Atwood weaves in so well (in discussing a photograph of a still unknown young woman and young man in the first pages, we read "Over to one side ? you wouldn't see it at first - there's a hand, cut by the margin, scissored off at the wrist, resting on the grass as if discarded") and part of this is the merit of both stories. It is a tribute to Atwood's skill that she can write two different genres in the same book and manage to weave them together so well.

Throughout the book we are gently tugged along the story line, with ever growing curiosity about the identity of the young lovers featured in the sub-story. It is to Atwood's credit that The Blind Assassin manages to keep its mystery very nearly to the end - only in the last paragraph or so letting the reader in on the secret the sisters have held for so many years. Sure, we get glimpses here and there throughout, but it wouldn't be a great book if the hints dropped gave the secret away.

Atwood has long been known for her ability to take a stand in her novels without beating the reader over the head and also for being able to take a fresh approach to each story she tells, always bringing in a new story line, new characters, new viewpoints. The Blind Assassin is no different. Atwood once again manages to bring fresh ideas into the world that both entertain you and broaden your mind somewhat. While I would not describe The Blind Assassin as a page turner, I would still say this flowing, overlooked book should be on your must-read list

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