Oryx and Crake is a dystopian novel written by Margaret Atwood, the writer of The Handmaid’s Tale. Set in the post-apocalyptic future, this book follows Snowman, the last remaining human, as he navigates surviving in a world with few supplies and genetically mutated animals trying to kill him. The only ones to keep him company are a new breed of people called the Crakers, who are the creation of Snowman’s old friend Crake. The story constantly flips perspective between Snowman surviving in the wild and his former self, once known as Jimmy, as he grows up alongside Crake and meets a mutual love interest named Oryx.
Personally, I think that the book is only alright. It is well written and the concept is rather interesting, but there is no predictable plot or specific conflict that plagues the protagonist, so you feel like the book could end at any given point. However, it did display the author’s creativity as there are many tiny details that add to the characterization of most characters. A lot of words and phrases thrown out often had a double meaning, which made deciphering foreshadowing very interesting. Also, Atwood did a great job intermingling current events and issues into her writing. Even though this occurs in an apocalyptic future, many concepts apply to our society today, which made it very eye-opening to read.
As for the cover of the book, design-wise, it is pretty. However, it doesn’t tie in too much to the plot of the book as eyes and flowers aren’t symbols present throughout the story. I wouldn’t judge the book too much based on its cover.