The Blind Assassin

Margaret Atwood takes the art of storytelling to new heights in a dazzling novel that unfolds layer by astonishing layer and concludes in a brilliant and wonderfully satisfying twist. Told in a style that magnificently captures the colloquialisms and clichés of the 1930s and 1940s, The Blind Assassin is a richly layered and uniquely rewarding experience.It opens with these simple, resonant words: "Ten days after the war ended, my sister drove a car off the bridge." They are spoken by Iris, whose terse account of her sister Laura'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.For the past twenty-five years, Margaret Atwood has written works of striking originality and imagination. In The Blind Assassin, she stretches the limits of her accomplishments as never before, creating a novel that is entertaining and profoundly serious. The Blind Assassin proves once again that Atwood is one of the most talented, daring, and exciting writers of our time. Like The Handmaid's Tale, it is destined to become a classic. "Ten days after the war ended, my sister Laura drove a car off a bridge. "These words are spoken by Iris Chase Griffen, married at eighteen to a wealthy industrialist but now poor and eighty-two. Iris recalls her far from exemplary life, and the events leading up to her sister's death, gradually revealing the carefully guarded Chase family secrets. Among these is "The Blind Assassin, "a novel that earned the dead Laura Chase not only notoriety but also a devoted cult following. Sexually explicit for its time, it was a pulp fantasy improvised by two unnamed lovers who meet secretly in rented rooms and seedy cafes. As this novel-within-a-novel twists and turns through love and jealousy, self-sacrifice and betrayal, so does the real narrative, as both move closer to war and catastrophe. Margaret Atwood's Booker Prize-winning sensation combines elements of gothic drama, romantic suspense, and science fiction fantasy in a spellbinding tale. From the Hardcover edition “ten Days After The War Ended, My Sister Laura Drove A Car Off A Bridge.” These Words Are Spoken By Iris Chase Griffen, Married At Eighteen To A Wealthy Industrialist But Now Poor And Eighty-two. Iris Recalls Her Far From Exemplary Life, And The Events Leading Up To Her Sister’s Death, Gradually Revealing The Carefully Guarded Chase Family Secrets. Among These Is “the Blind Assassin,” A Novel That Earned The Dead Laura Chase Not Only Notoriety But Also A Devoted Cult Following. Sexually Explicit For Its Time, It Was A Pulp Fantasy Improvised By Two Unnamed Lovers Who Meet Secretly In Rented Rooms And Seedy Cafés. As This Novel-within-a-novel Twists And Turns Through Love And Jealousy, Self-sacrifice And Betrayal, So Does The Real Narrative, As Both Move Closer To War And Catastrophe. Margaret Atwood’s Booker Prize-winning Sensation Combines Elements Of Gothic Drama, Romantic Suspense, And Science Fiction Fantasy In A Spellbinding Tale. More than fifty years on, Iris Chase is remembering Laura's mysterious death. And so begins an extraordinary and compelling story of two sisters and their secrets. Set against a panoramic backdrop of twentieth-century history, The Blind Assassin is an epic tale of memory, intrigue and betrayal... A science fiction story told by two unnamed lovers who meet in a dingy backstreet room. Set in a multi-layered story of the death of a woman's sister and husband in the 1940's, with a novel-within-a novel as a background Overview: Margaret Atwood was born in Ottawa in 1939, and grew up in northern Quebec and Ontario, and later in Toronto. She has lived in numerous cities in Canada, the U.S., and Europe. Tale of two sisters, one of whom dies under ambiguous circumstances in the opening pages