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Canadian Authors - General fiction - |
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The Blind Assassin |
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T he Blind Assassin byMargaret Atwood McClelland & Stewart 560 pages, August 2000 ISBN 0771008635 Reviewed by Zaheera Jiwaji Winner of the 2000 Booker Prize for Fiction The Blind Assassin reinforces Margaret Atwood's reputation as one of Canada's best authors who can effortlessly span several genres: children's writing, short stories, poetry, non-fiction and literary criticism. Indeed, in The Blind Assassin Atwood also offers readers some science fiction. Iris Chase Griffen, the eighty-year old narrator, reflects back on her life and that of her younger sister, Laura Chase. Born of a wealthy family brought down by losses during the Depression, Iris and Laura stumble through their lives, one a rebel and the other complacent. The story begins with Laura's early death, with generous details of family history, and accounts of successes and failures of the button-making factory in Southern Ontario where the Chases were considered local royalty. Although not extravagant, the Chase family was generous towards its employees, retaining jobs through the darkest days of the Depression. Especially once they have lost everything else, one perfect, golden memory dear to the Chase sisters is the annual company picnic hosted by Chase Industries. Here they meet Alex Thomas, a Marxist, during a time in Canadian history when any socialist tendencies were deemed suspect. Alex's charisma and confidence are so beguiling to the sheltered girls that he becomes a beacon in their lives. With the fall of Chase Industries imminent, Iris is married to wealthy industrialist Richard Griffen in order to save the family business. This marriage throws Iris into the wealthy circles of Toronto society, guided by Richard's sister Winifred, whose ambition is to see her brother succeed in politics. Both Richard and Winifred rule over Iris and Laura like harsh, surrogate parents. Laura rebels as Iris sinks further into her own secret world. Nestled among this work is the text of another novel entitled The Blind Assassin which gains Laura posthumous notoriety. It allows Atwood to show off her breadth. This second story is about lovers doomed to meet in seedy, back-alley rooms because the man is wanted by the authorities. At each meeting, the man narrates an episode of the adventures on Planet Zycron. As always, Atwood's prose is rich and well paced. Her curiosity adds wonderful details and nuances. The novel spans the 20th century with subtlety, as Atwood uses local and international events to form a rich backdrop for the story. Snippets of newspapers and society columns are sprinkled throughout the book, adding a sense of verisimilitude. Intrigue, history and romance are artfully woven into a study of how power corrupts, how loyalty and rivalry can find equal room in families, and how love and loss go hand in hand. Atwood asks readers one final question: What is our legacy and how will we be remembered. A multi-layered, compelling novel not-to-be-missed. Highly recommended. |
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