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The Heart Goes Last by Margaret Atwood

Posted on by heatherbeesbookbuzz@gmail.com

I received this book for free from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

The Heart Goes Last by Margaret AtwoodThe Heart Goes Last by Margaret Atwood
Published by Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group on September 29th 2015
Genres: Action & Adventure, Dystopian, Fiction, Humorous, Science Fiction
Pages: 320
Format: eARC
Source: Netgalley
Goodreads
four-stars
Margaret Atwood puts the human heart to the ultimate test in an utterly brilliant new novel that is as visionary as The Handmaid's Tale and as richly imagined as The Blind Assassin.     Stan and Charmaine are a married couple trying to stay afloat in the midst of an economic and social collapse. Job loss has forced them to live in their car, leaving them vulnerable to roving gangs. They desperately need to turn their situation around—and fast. The Positron Project in the town of Consilience seems to be the answer to their prayers. No one is unemployed and everyone gets a comfortable, clean house to live in . . . for six months out of the year. On alternating months, residents of Consilience must leave their homes and function as inmates in the Positron prison system. Once their month of service in the prison is completed, they can return to their "civilian" homes.     At first, this doesn't seem like too much of a sacrifice to make in order to have a roof over one's head and food to eat. But when Charmaine becomes romantically involved with the man who lives in their house during the months when she and Stan are in the prison, a series of troubling events unfolds, putting Stan's life in danger. With each passing day, Positron looks less like a prayer answered and more like a chilling prophecy fulfilled.From the Hardcover edition.

I’m kind of embarrassed to admit that, althoughThe Handmaid’s Tale has been on my bookshelf for over ten years, it wasn’t until 2015 that I finally read my first Atwood book. Upon closing that book, I became an instant fan, and was super stoked to check out her latest novel, The Heart Goes Last. (I’m also quite embarrassed that I read this book months ago and am just now getting around to writing my review).

One of the things that enthralled me about The Handmaid’s Tale was the terrifying yet realistic landscape in which the story takes place. Nearly 30 years after its publication, I found myself thinking about how easily the world today could become Offred’s Republic of Gilead. In The Heart Goes Last, Atwood was able to recreate that sense of foreboding. I think about the world today and the issue of income inequality, and I can see the distinct possibility of one day living in the same world as Stan and Charmaine.

Something else I like about Atwood’s style is that she doesn’t fill in all the details. Atwood alludes to Char’s troubled past and Stan’s tumultuous relation with his brother, but she doesn’t spell it out for the reader. I really like that. I think this adds to the realism of such a story. In real life, we are rarely privy to all the gory details about a person. This way it feels like the reader is part of the story, existing as a member of this dystopian society, and not merely viewing it as an outsider.

While I basked in the realness of the world and its characters, the plot was a less realistic to me. I felt like Stan and Char bought into this Consilience scheme a little bit too easily. And from that point the story, the events that unfolded seemed increasingly unbelievable. Entertaining, yes, but utterly unbelievable.

There’s more I could say about this book, but I will refrain in order to avoid spoilers. I will say that after finishing the book, I found myself arguing internally about some of the goings-on in the story. Whenever this happens, I feel it is a testament to the book if it can stay in your head well after you’ve returned it to the shelf. This book definitely did that.

I definitely recommend this book, especially if you’re a Margaret Atwood fan, but also if you like stories set in in well build worlds (even if they can be a bit scary).

Also, I have definitely been added to the ranks of Atwood admirers.

 

A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms by George R.R. Martin

Posted on by heatherbeesbookbuzz@gmail.com
A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms by George R.R. MartinA Knight of the Seven Kingdoms by George R. R. Martin
Published by Random House Publishing Group on September 29th 2015
Genres: Action & Adventure, Epic, Fantasy, Fiction, Short Stories (single author)
Pages: 368
Format: Hardcover
Goodreads
four-stars
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER Taking place nearly a century before the events of A Game of Thrones, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms compiles the first three official prequel novellas to George R. R. Martin's ongoing masterwork, A Song of Ice and Fire. These never-before-collected adventures recount an age when the Targaryen line still holds the Iron Throne, and the memory of the last dragon has not yet passed from living consciousness.   Before Tyrion Lannister and Podrick Payne, there was Dunk and Egg. A young, naïve but ultimately courageous hedge knight, Ser Duncan the Tall towers above his rivals--in stature if not experience. Tagging along is his diminutive squire, a boy called Egg--whose true name is hidden from all he and Dunk encounter. Though more improbable heroes may not be found in all of Westeros, great destinies lay ahead for these two . . . as do powerful foes, royal intrigue, and outrageous exploits.   Featuring more than 160 all-new illustrations by Gary Gianni, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is a must-have collection that proves chivalry isn't dead--yet. Praise for A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms   "Readers who already love Martin and his ability to bring visceral human drama out of any story will be thrilled to find this trilogy brought together and injected with extra life."--Booklist   "The real reason to check out this collection is that it's simply great storytelling. Martin crafts a living, breathing world in a way few authors can. . . . [Gianni's illustrations] really bring the events of the novellas to life in beautiful fashion."--Tech Times

I came across this book at the library (along with a couple of other great finds – I love my library), and, having heard good things from a friend, decided to give it a go. As it so happened, it turned out to be a great book for digging myself out of this blogging slump. So, here goes!

A Knight of the Seven Kindoms consisted of three novellas set in Westeros about 100 years prior to the events in A Game of Thrones. These three tales follow Ser Duncan the Tall, a wandering hedge knight, and his unlikely squire, Egg. Over the course of the three stories, they travel, serve, fight, and generally find their way into (and out of) trouble.

Like with ASOIAF, I was utterly amazed at the world building that takes places in this story, with all the lords with their sons and banners and whatnot. These stories are enriched with a level of descriptive detail that allows to reader to see exactly how GRRM sees Westeros, yet they felt different from the larger works. I think the novella format allowed for a more straightforward way of telling the story, rather than the alternation between characters’ points of view in the series.

I really enjoyed the character of Ser Duncan AKA Dunk. He was born to nothing, and was lucky enough to become a squire. The reader is introduced to Dunk around his 16th year, having just buried his master and taken up his shield and sword. It is obvious that Dunk had little education beyond his knightly training, and I found it a little irritating that Dunk’s repetitive thoughts and the recycled phrases of his old master kept finding their way onto the page. At first, I thought the use of such a device was a bit lazy, then realized that was probably a true representation of how someone like Dunk would really think – that’s pretty brilliant.

Dunk may not have been the most intelligent man, but he proved over and over again that he is a good man. He stays true to his word in a world where such a quality is rare, and manages to stick his neck out to help others, even it is costs his own. I also really enjoyed the relationship he cultivated with Egg throughout the course of the stories. Initially, I found Egg to be a mouthy little brat, but it was clear that he cared deeply for Dunk, and their differences complemented each other.

The only issue I had with these stories was following the who’s who of the Blackfyre Rebellion, which broke out between rival parts of the Targaryen family about 16 years prior to these stories. Because the family names are often similar, if not the same, it’s hard to tell the good guys from the bad. This is probably a common issue in these epic fantasy series, I just haven’t read enough of them to properly acclimate.

So, if you are a fan of epic fantasy or the ASOIAF series, you’ll probably enjoy this. Just be prepared to reread it in 10 years when the next set of novellas might be published! 😉