Atwood's first, definitely not best - Rated 
Atwood's first novel is, unsurprisingly, not as accomplished as her more famous later works. It also feels rather dated. But her skill as a writer is already becoming apparent and it does improve as it goes along.
The principal character is a determinedly sensible young woman, Marian, who decides to give up her career in order to marry. This is contrasted with her rather radical flatmate, who decides she wants a baby without the added encumbrance of a husband.
Atwood conjures up the stifling dullness of Marian's life well - too well in fact. It makes for a rather stiff, slow read. The story improved a lot towards the end when more was happening. I found the characters hard to relate to - even though it is set only forty years ago, I felt I had more in common with the women in Austen or Dickens. It didn't help that none of the characters were particularly likeable.
The secondary storyline with Marian's flat mate was rather silly and far fetched. I found the character unbelievable and the fact that she got pregnant so easily, whilst not impossible, certainly improbable. I also found the three English student flatmate characters a bit unreal. Probably the best character was actually Peter, Marian's fiance. Whilst not a sympathetic character, at least he seemed real.
So not a bad read, but not a good one either, and one I'm already forgetting the details of. Readers familiar with Atwood's later works should lower their expectations. Readers coming to Atwood for the first time should not be put off trying some of her other, groundbreaking novels.
Dissapointed - Rated 
I would love to review this item however I never received it and am very dissapointed with Amazon. I have paid for it, contacted the seller and never received it. I think the service is disgusting.
Ashendon Book Group says... - Rated
This book had a mixed response from members. There were those who enjoyed it as a novel of its era, a social history snapshot of Canada in 1965, but others who found its one dimensional characters and lack of real purpose rather boring. Attwood paints a satirical view of life in marketing and customer surveys, and of the landlady, which add small elements of comedy, but otherwise everyday activities seem tedious. However she is bold in introducing a single mother character - totally taboo at the time - but in the end even she (Ainsley) conforms by deciding the baby needs a father.
(Almost) a contemporary novel - Rated 
This is the first book I read by Margaret Atwood, it was written in 1965 but I believe that the only aspects giving away the years depicted are the absence of modern technology in the narrative (i.e. mobile phones, computers etc. -not that this is a "technological" read anyway, just the opposite) and perhpas, only perhaps -that's the way I perceived it- a certain candour in some of the characters/situations which conveys "something" dated.
It's the tale of Marian, a quiet, well-brought up girl in her early 20s who's struggling to conform to the demands and unwritten rules of society. This is not because she does not want to, in fact, she would like to, but she realises that her inner self craves more than a proper, suitable and predictable routine (a good job, a respectable marriage, children in due time etc.), as it was expected -and often still is, if you think about it-. Something in her rebels, in a subtle but undeniably determined way. Will she manage to tackle and overcome her gnawing uneasiness, consistently on the rise, rapidly becoming a true torment and assailing her inner being? (A fact that her "cool" but obtuse boyfriend completely fails to see). That's for you to find out if you get this book.
Bearing in mind the year in which this book was written, some considerations about our modern society arise. Have women's -and men's- roles changed much since then? Of course they have, in many ways. Still, could and can a demanding society have such an impact in the configuration of our lives -or, in what we thought/think our life should be like- that sometimes we felt and feel crushed under the pressure? Has the vortex of speed in which the world has changed in this past century -with its good and bad consequences- changed the core of human nature? These are questions which came to mind as soon as I turned the last page.
I'm glad I read this book, but at the same time I cannot honestly place it among my favourites. For instance, in the beginning it almost completely failed to engage me and I kept on only because I always do (as a principle). Thankfully the tale got more interesting later on, which helped, even though I think the author was overly-descriptive especially, but not only, in connection with Marian's issues, rendering the read a bit tedious. Still, and it may sound like a contradiction, I do think it was worth reading it, because it triggers questions and comparisons with today's Western society, and it was certainly worth it for the quality of its prose, essentially studied and quite elegant.
Masterful Atwood at her best - Rated 
I've been reading Margaret Atwood for 15 years now, and I have been so moved by so many of her books (Cat's Eye, Handmaid's Tale & Surfacing, to name a few). I'm pleased to say that this book has not disappointed in any way. It is absolutely masterful, almost erotic in places, full of symbolism and intent. It's classic Atwood and has me wanting to haul out all of my older books and re-read them. (And I don't often re-read books). It is amazing to see how much her writing has changed as she has grown older, but it is equally astonishing that I'm well into my 30's now and her books still have the same hold on me, no matter in which stage of her life she was writing them.
This is an important author, as much now as she was in the 70's. Read all of her books.
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