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The Blind Assassin
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The Blind Assassin
Author: Margaret Atwood

Book Information
Publisher: Anchor
Book Type: Paperback
Rating:

ISBN-13: 9780385720953 - ISBN-10: 0385720955
Publication Date: 8/28/2001
Pages: 544


Other Versions of this Book: Audio Cassette, Hardcover, Hardcover, Audio Cassette, Audio CD (Abridged), Audio CD (Unabridged)

Book Description:
The Blind Assassin opens with these simple, resonant words: "Ten days after the war ended, my sister Laura drove a car off a bridge."
They are spoken by Iris, whose terse account of her sister's death in 1945 is followed by an inquest report proclaiming the death accidental.
But just as the reader expects to settle into Laura's story, Atwood introduces a novel-within-a-novel.
Entitled The Blind Assassin, it is a science fiction story told by two unnamed lovers who meet in dingy backstreet rooms.
When we return to Iris, it is through a 1947 newspaper article announcing the discovery of a sailboat carrying the dead body of her husband, a distinguished industrialist.
Brilliantly weaving together such seemingly disparate elements, Atwood creates a world of astonishing vision and unforgettable impact.

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Top Member Book Reviews

Terresa W. (lv2read) wrote on 11/27/2006...

4 member(s) found this review helpful.

This novel is considered Atwood's strongest and most profoundly entertaining work, in which three wonderfully rich stories weave together, gradually revealing through their interplay the secrets surrounding the entire Chase family -- and most particularly the fascinating and tangled lives of the two sisters. The Blind Assassin is a brilliant and enthralling book by a writer at the top of her form.

Mary S. (msmaryfran) wrote on 1/6/2007...

3 member(s) found this review helpful.

Three stories in one book. Somewhat heavy in terms of the themes and storyline. Atwood's stories are subtle and hold the reader's attention very well as she blends them together. Throughout the book we look through the female perspective, a trademark of Atwood's works.

ABBY D. (Abby) wrote on 5/18/2006...

3 member(s) found this review helpful.

This is an amazing book- focusing on the lives of two sisters who grow up priveliged and then the war comes and everything changes. Highly recommended.

Linda M. (quilty45) wrote on 5/14/2006...

3 member(s) found this review helpful.

Excellent book! Little slow in the middle but keep reading, it's worth it. The prose is beautiful.

Susan (SG) - San Francisco, CA wrote on 5/18/2009...

2 member(s) found this review helpful.

I just loved this book. There were times when it seemed it might get a little hard to follow, since, as many of the reviewers have noted, it really is (at least) 3 stories wound together. At first it may not seem clear what Atwood is getting at by intertwining these very different stories, particularly the science fiction-y one, but eventually I came to understand that each of the disparate pieces shed light on each other, and especially on the narrator. Without giving too much away - since part of what made the book so spellbinding was the various twists and revelations - I would say this is a classic example of an "unreliable narrator" story. The narrator is initially pretty unlikable, but as the story unfolds, you become aware of the events that have shaped her into what she is. I think I remember that the book started out a bit slow, but by the end, I was eating it up and trying hard to resist flipping to the last page. A wonderful book, beautifully written, and very unique. I would highly recommend it to book clubs, too, as I think people could have many different takes on what happens, and what they think of the various characters. I could see how some people might lose patience with it, but for me, it ended up being one of the best books I've read in awhile.

Arletta T. (areldthomp) wrote on 1/26/2009...

2 member(s) found this review helpful.

This is a very unusual book. It is 3 plot lines woven into a single story. Plus there is a science fiction story to boot. It kept switching between modern times and the 30's and 40's. You would think it would get tiresome but it really was easy to stay attached. I really enjoyed the mystery of it. You really weren't sure of the outcome until right up to the very end. Hints were dropped throughout the book. But you still weren't sure. She was very good at weaving history into it too. It was a nice relaxing read.

Erin C. (erniegirl) wrote on 7/20/2009...

1 member(s) found this review helpful.

The author's style in this book took me a while to get used to, but once you figure out which of the 3 stories is which, it's really very well done. An interesting read, for sure.

Jayne M. (denreads) wrote on 10/10/2008...

1 member(s) found this review helpful.

Great book.Three stories in a story . Great timepiece centering around sisters,a lover, rough marriage, manipulation. Had a very hard time putting it down.

Elizabeth D. (runfromliz) wrote on 6/5/2007...

1 member(s) found this review helpful.

A story within a story, within a story.

This book is ideal for someone looking for an intricate and sophisticated love story.

Jessica P. (jpeeps) wrote on 5/1/2007...

1 member(s) found this review helpful.

I love Margaret Atwood but really couldn't get into this one.


Please Rate these Book Reviews

Marilyn K. wrote on 10/12/2009...


Disparate threads woven into a story with great skill.

Debbie J. wrote on 7/10/2009...


The kind of book you can't wait to finish because you want to see how it turns out, and then you spend the next day or two re-reading certain parts. Superb storytelling.

Andy R. (mazeface) wrote on 5/23/2009...


Atwood unpeals the story like an onion. Slowly she reveals what is happening, yet keeps the reader guessing what the truth is with subtle clues woven into the chapters.

Carroll H. (Seahorse) wrote on 9/7/2008...


Really. I was supposed to read this book for my book club and got to page 168 and just decided to skip it. Margaret Atwood writes beautifully, she is a gorgeous wordsmith, but the story? Ack. I'd rather spit up a hairball.
I really wanted to like this book but instead it has wound up on the very short list of books throughout my life that I simply couldn't finish.
Oh yeah, and if anyone wants my copy, don't say I didn't warn you.

Laurel wrote on 4/19/2008...


VERY good. Another great Atwood story-within-a-story. Full characters, interesting setting, and sexy! I think this will be my favorite book this year.

Jay C. (jareylee) wrote on 4/14/2007...


Good storytelling. Provoked thoughtful discussion in mature woman's book discussion group. Not really sci-fi; classified accurately as Fiction/Literature.

Emily H. (emilyh) - Westminster, CO wrote on 4/10/2007...


I liked the way it jumped back and forth between the stories and the way they became one.

Jennifer N. (Jenji) wrote on 3/31/2007...


wonderfully complicated as atwood always is and well worth reading... two books in one really

Amanda H. wrote on 2/10/2007...


Winner of the Booker Prize , the book weaves 3 stories of the Chase family together into one.

"Absorbing...Expertly rendered...virtuosic storytelling."--The New York Times

Rose P. (capereader) wrote on 1/20/2007...


I loved this story- it crept up on me and soon I was engrossed


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