aislinn_mcd_harrison's review against another edition
3.5
Graphic: Physical abuse, Sexual violence, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Death, Kidnapping, Abandonment, Murder, Pedophilia, Sexual assault, Slavery, Trafficking, Death of parent, and Excrement
greenglass67's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Sexual violence, Body horror, Child abuse, Genocide, Trafficking, Abandonment, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Rape, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Alcohol, Animal death, Blood, Medical content, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Animal cruelty, Death, Pandemic/Epidemic, and Pedophilia
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Classism, Colonisation, Drug use, and Murder
cait's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
Minor: Alcohol, Alcoholism, Animal death, Body horror, Drug use, Drug abuse, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Ableism, Medical content, Religious bigotry, Classism, Death of parent, Dysphoria, Gun violence, Sexual violence, Genocide, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Mental illness, Body shaming, Confinement, Sexual content, Slavery, Gore, Emotional abuse, Grief, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Blood, Pedophilia, Violence, Addiction, Animal cruelty, Cursing, Death, Kidnapping, and Vomit
hannahbailey's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Very reminiscent of 1984 and A Clockwork Orange in terms of its violence, intensity and reflections on the darker side of humanity. Fans of these novels (I was not a fan of either one) will almost definitely enjoy Oryx and Crake.
Graphic: Confinement, Gun violence, Trafficking, Abandonment, Adult/minor relationship, Death of parent, Sexual violence, Cursing, Rape, Blood, Child abuse, Pedophilia, Alcoholism, Animal death, Drug use, Genocide, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Toxic friendship, War, Animal cruelty, Addiction, Death, Grief, Kidnapping, Murder, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Alcohol, Violence, Child death, and Infidelity
thedinosaurkid's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
If you don't like exposition I would not reccomend this to you. Over half of the book is spent remembering the past, but in the context of the world and situation it makes sense.
Jimmy/Snowman is a fairly accurate depiction of a dude and how a dudes mind works. Oryx and Crake are fleshed out very well and Snowman's memories are played out well. The most interesting part to me is the way that Oryx and Crake have been deity-ifed (not a word but you get my point) by Snowman and The Children of Crake.
The symbolism is very interesting.
The ending is ambiguous, on purpose, and gives very vague answers. It's of course frustrating to not have that satisfying ending that answers all your questions but that is the point of the book. The future remains uncertain.
Overall a good book.
Graphic: Toxic friendship, Child abuse, Rape, Mental illness, Excrement, Alcoholism, Trafficking, Sexual violence, Injury/Injury detail, Pedophilia, Animal cruelty, Drug use, Alcohol, Gore, and Animal death
lauragarabedian's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
Graphic: Child abuse, Kidnapping, Murder, Alcohol, Forced institutionalization, Injury/Injury detail, Pedophilia, Adult/minor relationship, and Death
Moderate: Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Murder, Pedophilia, Trafficking, Excrement, Rape, Slavery, Stalking, Toxic relationship, Alcohol, Bullying, Child abuse, Medical content, Cursing, Death, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Toxic friendship, Adult/minor relationship, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, Animal death, Fatphobia, Gore, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Sexism, Violence, and Addiction
dancefever's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Animal death, Gore, Animal cruelty, and Alcohol
Moderate: Addiction, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Death of parent, Violence, Pedophilia, Sexual content, and Alcoholism
Minor: Child death, Drug use, and Drug abuse
cepbreed's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
“After everything that's happened, how can the world still be so beautiful? Because it is.”
All in all this story is confusing, the plot interweaving past and present in undefined ways and beginning entirely with loose ends. By the end of the book things start to come together, the apocalyptic event, the history of Jimmy and Oryx, the longer history of Jimmy and Crake and how he became involved with the Crakers. It's satisfying to finally rid yourself of the fog, but still, much is unclear. The plot builds at a slow hum, so there aren't many moments shocking and quick enough to make me gasp besides
Spoiler
the way Jimmy ends Crake's life. Crake became something entirely different to what I imagined, Jimmy too, I never believed that could've been possible.Spoiler
I had to go back to find those quotes to fully understand it, yet I'm still confused. I understand using a quote from his mother, but the quote from a work acquaintance? I get it's a display of Crake's manipulation (he always has a plan), but it would've been cooler to see a quote of his from when he was younger to show how much that connection means to him.Graphic: Alcohol, Genocide, Pedophilia, Abandonment, Death, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Death of parent, and Sexual content
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Classism, Colonisation, Gun violence, Kidnapping, Medical content, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Murder, Sexual harassment, Slavery, and Trafficking
Minor: Infertility, Toxic friendship, and Infidelity
ardinareads's review
3.75
points subtracted bc I didn’t understand the significance of all the pornography and sex? the fact that it’s a science fiction dystopian novel about bioterrorism. idk maybe not my genre? ummm…. the ending? but I guess it’s a series and I didn’t realize that, so… my bad.
Graphic: Child abuse, Death, and Adult/minor relationship
Moderate: Alcohol
Minor: Rape
sophieennis's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Abandonment, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Blood, Body horror, Child abuse, Death of parent, Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Murder, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Suicidal thoughts, Slavery, Toxic friendship, Trafficking, and Violence