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The Blind Assassin Meander: Week One

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Welcome to the trailhead, my friends!
Today we embark on a winding journey, one that will take us from our living rooms to our bedrooms, from our front porches to our backyards, if we have such things, and then back to our living rooms because you know, couch good. All the while carrying a digital or print copy of Margaret Atwood’s Booker-Prize-winning gothic suspense science fiction neo-classic The Blind Assassin.

I’m super looking forward to this trek, and really grateful to you all for lacing up your Meandering shoes and sharing good company on the path.

Exciting! But how’s it work?
In brief, we’ll be reading 50-60 pages a week. On Sundays I’ll post the next week’s target.

Read along, comment on the thread by week’s end, make it to the finish line, and yes, the rumors you’ve heard are true: you will receive one genuine “I Survived The Blind Assassin Meander” magnet, designed by Meanderer Elisabeth Beller. (For an example of past prizes, check out the magnet from our most recently concluded adventure.)

Figure 1.1: Still life with book and things.
Figure 1.1: You can count on the magnet not looking like this.

Times are more than strange, and many of us are looking for ritual, routine, and perhaps a group read of a fairly complex though engaging tome.

If that’s you, I’m glad you found your way here. The waiting is over. Grab your book. Believe in yourself and each other. Comment with verve, kindness, and/or abandon.

And let’s Meander the hell out of this thing.

This week: Read through the end of Avilion by April 11, pausing to comment and take a sip of something that sustains you through “the lumpy, enervating burden of the mundane.”

Throughward and upward!
-Cecil

Comments

78 responses to “The Blind Assassin Meander: Week One”

  1. Susan Chua Avatar
    Susan Chua

    I’m in!

    Reply
  2. xian Avatar
    xian

    starts off with a bang!

    Reply
  3. So-Called Bill Avatar
    So-Called Bill

    Seriously.

    Reply
  4. Cecil Vortex Avatar
    Cecil Vortex

    btw, I’m counting on you for a family tree xian 🙂

    Reply
  5. Mark Niemann-Ross Avatar
    Mark Niemann-Ross

    History, as I recall, was never this winsome, and especially not this clean, but the real thing would never sell: most people prefer a past in which nothing smells.

    Reply
  6. Jeff Avatar
    Jeff

    Great start! But boy the elder Iris Chase is one bitter old lady. Just like me!

    The sci-fi names are patently ridiculous (“Snilfards”) which first made me think that the book-within-a-book was just going to be a sci-fi parody (Douglas Adams, Terry Pratchett), but that story gets grim pretty quickly.

    Reply
  7. So-Called Bill Avatar
    So-Called Bill

    My great-grandfather was a Snilfard. You find that ridiculous, do you?

    Reply
  8. Faith Avatar
    Faith

    Is anyone “reading” via Audible? Trying to get a sense of at what time we’ll reach the week one target.

    Reply
  9. Cecil Vortex Avatar
    Cecil Vortex

    hi! Just poked around and I think it’s the first portion of chapter 3 in the audible book. which is weird because in the book itself, it’s a few sections into chapter 3. But hope that helps — I think you can read til the section in Chapter 3 that is called the trousseau…. (following ““the lumpy, enervating burden of the mundane.”)

    Reply
  10. Willem Avatar
    Willem

    Ha I did that…and now seem to have misplaced it :/

    Reply
  11. Willem Avatar
    Willem

    That was highlighted 430 times on Kindle. Perhaps you were one of ’em, MNR.

    Reply
  12. Willem Avatar
    Willem

    It’s captured my imagination and I’m having a hard time meandering.

    Who oh who is the sci-fi storytelling guy? And do you assume he’s telling the story to Laura?

    Reading on Kindle, and 797 highlighted “But some people can’t tell where it hurts. They can’t calm down. They can’t ever stop howling.” (End of The Bridge, uh, 2% in.)

    Reply
  13. Ute Avatar
    Ute

    I’m not 100% sure what kind of comments are expected of me here – if anything is expected at all apart from commenting 😉 – but here I go:

    I enjoyed the non sci-fi part a LOT, particularly the scene where Iris gets ready for the prize ceremony (Margaret Atwood has a very witty and downright funny way of describing the smallest details of her protagonists’ lives).

    The sci-fi part bores me and – being honest here – I kind of skim-read it.

    Also, this is my first time reading on a Kindle and it’s HARD! Electronic reading devices are definitely not for me. I ordered the book on paper, but late, which means another week of meandering will probably go by before I can switch over to the real thing!

    Looking forward to the next chapters – and now it’s Guzmán’s turn to use the Kindle and give it a go.

    Reply
  14. Bob Avatar
    Bob

    That was my first thought as well, which means probably not. The guy is putting out some pretty creepy vibes. Wanting her to put the phone against her throat but no, he won’t ask her just yet. Red flag went up right there.

    Reply
  15. Susan C Avatar
    Susan C

    So many stories in one! I learned a new word, “otiose,” applied to the green-leather-bound history of Chase Industries, a genre I know well, having had to discreetly dispose of two volumes of the long, and then even longer history of John Wiley and Sons. And there is so much to contemplate in the history of the button factory, from its plain workingman’s buttons to its current incarnation as headquarters for places like The Gingerbread Shop, Gifts and Collectibles. I have been there many times. “An obese candle scented with what appears to be kerosene”–yup.

    Reply
  16. Alyssa Pratt Avatar
    Alyssa Pratt

    I read this book along with most others in the Atwood canon back in my early 20s, but thankfully I have a horrible memory for plots and it feels like the first read for me. I’m loving it so far and finding it quite compelling; I can’t wait to see how it all comes together. Isn’t she a wonderful writer?

    Reply
  17. Computilo Avatar
    Computilo

    My plan was not to look for Pandemically Pleasing (or Perilous) Passages on this meander, but folks, I can’t help myself.

    From the “Park Bench” section: The Zycronites..”brought a lot of plant seeds with them, which is why we have apples and oranges, not to mention bananas. One look at a banana and you can tell it came from outer space. They also brought animals–horses and dogs and goats and so on. They were the builders of Atlantis. Then they blew themselves up through being too clever. We’re descended from the stragglers.”

    I think (hope) I’m descended from the stragglers. Not pointing fingers at the clever Zycronites, but I’m pretty sure they were the ones hoardng all the fresh fruit at the market, especially the bananas, and not staying six feet apart from each other while diving into the produce shelves sans masks or gloves.. I’m proud to say that I’m straggling quite proficiently. I have seen only 5 people in the last two weeks, including Jake from State Farm who came to look at my roof damage. No plans to befriend any Zycronites!

    I’ll try to behave myself on next week’s stroll and provide some enlightening commentary on the actual novel.

    Reply
  18. Dr. Vitz Avatar
    Dr. Vitz

    I honestly haven’t started the book, but I find that I *might* be able to catch up – So I’m dropping a marker here now with the hope of joining for real next week

    Reply
  19. xian Avatar
    xian

    oh good because i have most decidedly not done so and am struggling to hit this week’s quota!

    Reply
  20. xian Avatar
    xian

    that line stayed with me too, and also the many times viewed photo appears to show a version of the first scene in the innermost tale.

    Reply
  21. xian Avatar
    xian

    she really is. i both enjoy and envy her way with words.

    Reply
  22. Chris M Avatar
    Chris M

    Looking forward to learning much more about Sabrina. running away from home at 13, tho can you blame her? Hopefully she relates more to her mother’s family than her father’s. More questions than answers right now. Ready for the next 50 pages!

    Reply
  23. Itto Ogami Avatar
    Itto Ogami

    Sci fi subplot of child slaves unnerved me. Far too realistic to past/current slavery. Otherwise would enjoy a nice sci undercurrent. Eben overcurrent. Or currants.

    On positive note, like many pages, page 35 chock full of language gold.
    “Still in my nightgown, damp from some fright I’d pushed aside like foliage, I pulled myself up and out of my tangled bed, then forced myself through the usual dawn rituals—the ceremonies we perform to make ourselves look sane and acceptable to other people.”

    The shifting time series delivered a fearful déjà vu to Cloud Atlas, but thankfully Atwood’s approach is more seamless. Relieved and appreciative.

    Reply
  24. Cecil Vortex Avatar
    Cecil Vortex

    Hey! Great to see you here — I believe in you. 🙂

    Reply
  25. Neil Edde Avatar
    Neil Edde

    Otiose for the win!

    Reply
  26. Gaya Brodnitz Avatar
    Gaya Brodnitz

    Susan C said both of my comments, the button factory and otiose. However, re the button factory, brings back all the red brick abandoned factories standing all around the northeast, some abandoned and semi ruined and some remade in all sorts of ways.

    Reply
  27. blue_f Avatar
    blue_f

    Interesting to hear how you split that up! Thomas and I thought about joining at the same time, but didn’t want to buy two copies, and sharing one is difficult, and we’re both not the e-reader types (and neither are you but I’m curious to hear if you get the hang of it on this meander…)

    Also, regarding the “right types” of comments: from what I’ve learned on the last meander, everything is fine. From “Here are my ten thoughts about that section” to “here’s the line i liked most/least” to “I wasn’t able to finish but will catch up with y’all next week” – just comment to let us know you’re still there. 🙂

    Reply
  28. blue_f Avatar
    blue_f

    It was very easy getting started with the book. I like the story-in-story concept but I do hope I don’t get lost along the way. Underlining/highlighting sections as I go.
    I wasn’t able to finish the entire section yet, so I haven’t read all your other comments, but hey, tomorrow is Sunday and I have nowhere to go. Know that feeling? 😉
    See ya next week!

    Reply
  29. Itto Ogami Avatar
    Itto Ogami

    Dear Fellow Meanderers:

    FYI, http://www.archive.org has the book available for borrowing. I tried it. 14 days at a time. Book doesn’t seem downloadable, but there is a readable scanned version; not ideal, as unsure if one could keep re-borrowing, but it’s an option for some.

    Reply
  30. Realzorro Avatar
    Realzorro

    Made it! I like the writing. Not so sure I’m fully engaged in either story line yet. Feel like I need to create a family tree/character map to track the players. I liked the line about the past that doesn’t smell but my favorite was the neck that looked like a third shoulder. I’m sure it will start to make sense sooner or later…

    Reply
  31. Jennifer E. Avatar
    Jennifer E.

    I definitely am appreciating the descriptions of Iris’ experiences of being an older woman and what she is struggling with, I can relate! I thought it was interesting that in her husband’s obituary she was listed well after his sister and daughter and then her sister-in-law ends up being her granddaughter’s guardian, so some machinations to be revealed. The sci-fi stories are also intriguing though disturbing, wondering if they are serving as a parallel version of what’s transpired between Iris and her sister-in-law. They seem to be of equal status but perhaps not? Were the Chases the lower caste and the Griffins the upper caste? To be revealed!

    Reply
  32. Jennifer E Avatar
    Jennifer E

    Most definitely!

    Reply
  33. Cecil Vortex Avatar
    Cecil Vortex

    Relieved to finally get to Otiose. The suspense was killing me!

    Reply
  34. Susannah Avatar
    Susannah

    I’m really enjoying this so far. The time jumps and world jumps are disorienting in a good way. I like how scathing Iris can be, there are so many great lines like “any life is a rubbish dump even while it’s being lived, and more so afterwards.”

    Reply
  35. eb Avatar
    eb

    bob–that was the point at which i started to really like him. he’s so knowledgeable about the little things that matter. creepy, yes, but interesting creepy.

    Reply
  36. eb Avatar
    eb

    susannah–i totally agree about iris–she’s so bitchy in a perfect way.

    love the book, the careful descriptions, like myra’s “bum lolloping” and putting your feet down “provisionally, as if the ground might give way.”

    but i have a question for any of you that read down this far.

    i commented above about the fascinating story-telling guy.

    in one rendezvous, he’s being ultra careful not to scare her off (i did assume it was laura but open to other possibilities–for example, i think from the way she talks in those scenes that it could be iris). he’s very very intensely aware of some tiny gesture he’d like to make but also wary of crossing any lines. he makes a mistake when he asks to see her at her window and she understands he’s been there before, under the tree across the street, and it freaks her out.

    but then in the next rendezvous, they’re under the bridge or just beyond it and he says, “You shouldn’t worship me…. I don’t have the only cock in the world. Some day you’ll figure that out.” and later she’s smoothing down her skirt and he’s buttoning up her clothes. yet he’s been telling the same wonderful story from–it seems–the place he left off before. So…. are these two meetings separated by lots of time and details not given about a developing affair?

    Reply
  37. So-Called Bill Avatar
    So-Called Bill

    So when she talks about the tourists taking pictures of the Waterfall, did anyone else think, The World’s Most Photographed Waterfall?

    Reply
  38. Alex Avatar
    Alex

    What a great novel. It’s so fun to read someone like Atwood who is both really smart and has so clearly spend an enormous amount of time mastering things at the deepest level. I really love her use of the colon. Underrated punctuation marks: the colon. In a lot of these postmoderny-literary novels it takes fifty or sixty pages to figure out what’s actually going on. That feels a lot less intrusive in TBA, and the sentences are so beautiful that you don’t mind reading it even if you’re not exactly sure what’s going on. Thematically and stylistically it reminded me a lot of DFW’s “short” story “Good Old Neon” which also opens with suicide off a bridge. That story though is very specifically about existential fatalism, which Atwood seems to reject with a really stoic narrator. It will be interesting to see what actually happens over the course of the novel. Another thing TBA reminds me of in terms of plot is Louise Erdrich’s short story “Disaster Stamps of Pluto,” which is narrated via an old woman’s historical society newsletter. That story ends with a similarly stoic rejection of entropy in favor of an image of persistence. I guess how this book will end remains to be seen.

    Reply
  39. Kathy Avatar
    Kathy

    Too much OT has cut into reading. Starting part 3 tomorrow.

    Reply
  40. Peaseblossom Avatar
    Peaseblossom

    “He doesn’t read books, which makes both of us more comfortable” –that’s my Atwood gem of the week.

    Snilfards, Ygnirods, Sakiel-Norn…exquisitely Seussian words that provide a great juxtaposition with the elegant descriptions of school buildings, body types, and thinning hair that I can envision in my mind’s eye: “At least I can still call my hair my own, though it frizzes upwards as if I’ve been electrocuted. Beneath it there are glimpses of scalp, the greyish pink of mice feet. If I ever get caught in a high wind my hair will all blow off like dandelion fluff, leaving only a tiny pockmarked nubbin of bald head.” A very timely description of hair considering this was the week of hair dye in our Coronavirus pandemic.

    Hmm, no mention of songs yet this week. I’ll start us off with Simon & Garfunkel’s Bridge Over Troubled Water.

    Reply
  41. Cort Avatar
    Cort

    I liked the misty dazzle of the refrigerator! I must have plugged into the Zycron plot… when she gave the young woman the award I half-expected the young woman to kill her (or maybe that’s misplaced contemporary anxiety?). This is not an extremely uplifting rendition of how it feels to live in an elderly human body….

    Reply
  42. Bob Myren Avatar
    Bob Myren

    I looked that up too. For those afraid to ask I’ll save you a search: “Serving no practical purpose or result.” 🙂

    It popped out to me because I often wonder when a writer uses something so arcane, are they just doing so to show off their erudition or is there an actual purpose beyond teasing the readers? (William F. Buckley on some talk show once referenced, with the pomposity that only he could muster, firemen responding to a “conflagration”. It’s a frickin’ “fire,” Bill! Just a fire.)

    And I found this when I looked up the meaning: A usage timeline shows that word spiked around 1920 and remained high through the 50’s before steadily tapering off since – in other words, the prime of her adult life. So of course it was a detail, and I suspect if I were from her generation, I might have picked up on it.

    And there’s my trivia factoid of the day. I’m glad I looked it up!

    Reply
  43. Josh O Avatar
    Josh O

    It must look like a ball of yarn, except without a single long strand, but a wrapping of starts and ends.

    Reply
  44. Josh O Avatar
    Josh O

    It’s around local 1000

    Reply
  45. Josh O Avatar
    Josh O

    Personally, this sort of book is the e-reader type for me! Anything I don’t highlight—the pulpy sort of stuff—works well for me on e-reader. Non-fiction, poetry, etc., that’s no good with the Kindle.

    Reply
  46. Bob Myren Avatar
    Bob Myren

    Hey EB! I took it to mean that a short period of time has elapsed – a week or weeks maybe, and that they have had sex in the interim. And while it’s not clear whether they did anything during this particular scene, it appears they are comfortable talking about it. And he is probably her first. That’s what I think I’m supposed to be thinking for the time being.

    Reply
  47. Josh O Avatar
    Josh O

    I’m enjoying the sci-fi parts of the book very much! The narrator is a creep, but the tale is very enjoyable.

    Reply
  48. Amanda Ruud Avatar
    Amanda Ruud

    Ute! We’re in complete agreement on the digital reading experience. I waited too long to get a physical copy, and had to read this week’s pages on my laptop. I so miss the artifact of a paper book, especially a used one that comes with the enigmatic pencil annotations and coffee rings of past owners. Given that is a book that is preoccupied with the accretion of history, the layering of experience – like limestone building up over time – reading it in a medium of flat historicity (a never-ending scrolling page) felt wrong.

    Reply
  49. Josh O Avatar
    Josh O

    I’m not sure I want it to make sense. I like the mixed up timelines. It’s really a joy for me and helps underpin the psychological state of the narration. I also like the frumpiness in the narration. It’s gritty and elevated simultaneously, just like the characters. Low-brow/high-brow.

    Reply
  50. Amanda Avatar
    Amanda

    Baha – “Bridge Over Troubled Water” does seem appropriate.

    I’d like to add Roxy Music’s “Avalon.”

    Reply
  51. Josh O Avatar
    Josh O

    Whoever she is—I’m thinking Laura—seems to be too careful to have a fast romance, but is clearly naive. It’ll be interesting to see if the perceived, older, reckless Laura (according to description) is an outcome of her interaction with the sci-fi dude; or if it is Iris, how the interaction ends up revealing more about her obsession with her family’s first class wealth, but second class acceptance.
    TBD!

    Reply
  52. Josh O Avatar
    Josh O

    dandelion description has been my favorite so far!

    Reply
  53. Josh O Avatar
    Josh O

    Tell me more about buttons! Such intrigue for a simple, common tool.

    Reply
  54. Bob Myren Avatar
    Bob Myren

    The thing I like about the multiple narratives is that she weaves them together deliberately and wants us to follow her. She has us wondering what will happen next and how the stories come together; she doesn’t have us just wondering where the heck we are. I appreciate that.

    And I’m with you on punctuation. My personal favorite is the unsung and criminally underutilized semicolon. I use it all the time to express complex thoughts in a single sentence; to signal clearly to the reader that this is all intended to be taken together; to inform the reader to just shut up and keep reading till you reach a period and you’ll understand why.

    Can’t do that without a semicolon; otherwise it’s all Dr. Seuss and no Shakespeare.

    🙂

    Reply
  55. KT Avatar
    KT

    Liking the read so far. I have the audible version, Bill the book…but since we’re on home arrest, I’m making him read aloud to me as I sew masks.

    There have been a number of googled words in our home. I’m considering a little shopping on etsy, so I can pile fruit onto a epergne, add some class to the hearth with a set of firedogs and watch the convolvulus grow over my house.

    Reply
  56. Lydia_S Avatar
    Lydia_S

    I an reading it on my kindle and it works quite well for me. But I have to admit: at some point I was re-reading the newspaper-articles. I had the fear to get lost with some time-lines and relations between the dead persons.

    But now I am in it and, like Josh said, it works fine. I even think it is funny to see how other people think special parts are important…

    Reply
  57. Lydia_S Avatar
    Lydia_S

    I love the way Iris describes her everyday life and herself. “The doctor has warned me about coffee, bus he’s only fifty (…). He doesn’t know everything, though that would be news to him. If coffee doesn’t kill me, something else will.”

    I am really curious where the story will take me. And how the individual threads are woven into a whole. By the way: My dictionary is booming. I love the careful and atmospheric descriptions – but that the choice of words has a reference to the time… admirable!

    Reply
  58. Kathryn Avatar
    Kathryn

    Beautifully put!

    Reply
  59. Kathryn Avatar
    Kathryn

    I first read this years ago and don’t remember much but look forward to getting reacquainted. The sci-fi hasn’t quite grabbed me yet (Snilfards bugs me! Not sure why.) but Iris’ use of few words to convey so much distaste sure has! (I particularly liked how she got rid of Myra’s famous cake.) Am curious to find out how she ended up so isolated and hated by her family.

    Reply
  60. Christian Crumlish aka xian Avatar
    Christian Crumlish aka xian

    yummy Oatie-Oh’s!

    Reply
  61. Jeff Avatar
    Jeff

    I’m finding myself really inquired by the couple that I think are in the park discussing the story of Sakiel-Norn. I’m not so much interested in the actual story, but rather the man telling it. I hope I find out more. I also am really interested in hearing more about the Button Factory, and mainly the narrator’s family. I can’t tell if Myra is good or bad. So far, really enjoying the narrative and choppy storytelling.

    Reply
  62. xian Avatar
    xian

    it does seem like a deliberately unpleasant word, suggesting snivel and sniffle and tongue twisters.

    Reply
  63. Jef Avatar
    Jef

    I’m actually wondering if the woman is the girl who won the creative writing award and $200.

    Reply
  64. Mike M Avatar
    Mike M

    A little behind but liking it so far. I have nothing to add to the lovely, insightful comments so far….!

    Reply
  65. Max Avatar
    Max

    I’ve been reading on Kindles for a while now (I’m actually reading this book on my phone after my five-year old goes to sleep). I find that reading books this way allows me to find my extra few minutes here and there but prevents the deep diving that I love. But, it’s what I have for now.

    Reply
  66. Maggie Avatar
    Maggie

    Really struck by that line – a lot to process in this time!

    Reply
  67. Maggie Avatar
    Maggie

    I’m in – behind but enjoying and confident in catching up!

    Reply
  68. Chris Avatar
    Chris

    I’m in for the moment!!! Not quite getting the infatuation with a strange guy telling a creepy story and how that attaches to a story of the children of barons of industry who really fail to amount to much and are painfully aware of such… but hey maybe that will all become clear here in another few hundred pages…

    Reply
  69. Susan C also Avatar
    Susan C also

    Ok mea culpa did not read this week. Not reading the comments until I do. Onward.

    Reply
  70. Barbara B Avatar
    Barbara B

    So far, so enjoying! There’s some lovely Daphne du Maurier flavor in this soup– I was almost disappointed to learn Iris’s name so quickly 🙂 And so much watery imagery for Iris…starting on page 1, her hair lifting in the breeze like ink spreading in water…

    Reply
  71. pete b Avatar
    pete b

    like others have said – not sure what i’m reading but enjoying how she says it. worried that this might be a bait and switch. hoping there will be a lot more blind assassins.

    Reply
  72. Neil Avatar
    Neil

    Any life is a rubbish dump. ™

    T-shirts available soon.

    Reply
  73. Max Avatar
    Max

    I’m enjoying the dual narratives weaving between each other. Reminds me a little little bit of House of Leaves, but much less dense. And I’m right with you. Big Creep of a narrator, but still enjoying the tale as woven.

    Reply
  74. Faith Avatar
    Faith

    Ok switched from Audible to the physical book now, will re-read and hope everything makes a bit more sense this week!

    Reply
  75. Willem Avatar
    Willem

    Ha!

    Reply
  76. Ute Avatar
    Ute

    What a great way of putting it, Amanda!

    Reply
  77. Trina C. Avatar
    Trina C.

    I am starting late, but hoping to catch up soon.

    Reply
  78. Cecil Vortex Avatar
    Cecil Vortex

    Welcome! 🙂
    -Cecil

    Reply

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