I just recently finished Oryx and Crake by Margaret Atwood and have to say that it was one of those books that I just couldn't get out of my head. I've read a bit about what makes something literary fiction, but I'm not sure if there is a hard rule about it. This book hits so close to home in my opinion on the state of our world, trends in history, the direction of our future, and human behavior that it is actually quite scary. Additionally, Atwood presents the plot following the one character but from two different points in time that eventually meet - This, in my opinion, was executed exceedingly well. Is it just me (I can be easily impressed), or is this book quite amazing? Would you consider it literary fiction? Also, I would be interested in titles of books similar in nature.
Ehn. I think whether or not it is "literary" matters a lot less than whether or not it is good, and I found the writing to be mediocre (judging at a high standard, considering that Atwood is considered a great author). For the record, I was taught it in high school.
By the criteria you outlined, YES! Perhaps I'm biased as an Atwood lover, but she has many pieces that comment on society in a thought provoking way. You're pretty much garuanteed to have to read "A Handmaid's Tale" in any Canadian Lit course, for instance. Does it really matter in the long run if others consider it to be literature? If it impacted you then it was significant in some way.
I have been tempted to read Oryx and Crake, but The Handmaid's Tale was so bad I have avoided Atwood ever since.
THough her writing style definitely isn't for everyone, very few people can call it bad. If you were talking about one of her more drawl novels like "Life Before Man" (I was actually kind of pisse off once I read that one), I'd be more inclined to agree. The handmaid's tale is considered one of the best stories of a dystopia from this century.
It isn't from this century It wasn't the style, I just thought it was laughable from page one. Maybe the last fifty pages redeemed it - I think that is where I stopped. But I have heard good things about Oryx and Crake.
