The story of Rennie, a young journalist who seeks escape when she goes off to a small island in the Caribbean to write a travel piece. She’s just gone through a break-up and a surgery that took a piece of her body, but left her cancer free. Instead of peace, she finds political unrest in the midst of a coup.

The author has a strong narrative style that resonates well. She doesn’t waste any words and gives the reader an intimate glimpse into the character. The strength of the novel, though the plot is fine and filled with great symbolism and metaphor, is the character study. At times I was almost embarrassed, like I was a voyeur, seeing something that the character would not tell me otherwise. That aspect made the entire book more real, as with the type of observations the author chose to share, almost as if she focused on the flaws that make people human. She didn’t make a perfect heroine, with perfect relationships, a perfect life.

I didn’t always appreciate the flashbacks, although I could see their value. I liked less the secondary character, who by default becomes a part of the story, Lora. It helped though, that Rennie didn’t especially like her either, and for all the same reasons that I wouldn’t.

The end was fantastic. Even though the three weeks that the novel spanned wasn’t anything like how the main character thought that she wanted, or needed, it turned out to be just that. She physically went through the mental and emotional battle she’d been going through. The non-exempt realization was powerful and bold.

I really enjoyed the novel, both the story and the writing. I’m looking forward to reading more of Atwood’s work.