The characters were memorable and interesting, but their lives and fates were so sad! I had to put this book down many times because I was overwhelmed by the feelings.
Not much discussion in our book club; we didn't know what to say!

One needs concentration and thought to delve into the multiple layers of The Blind Assassin. Iris as an older woman writes of the scandals of her childhood with her sensitive sister Laura. Interwoven in this narrative is the highly acclaimed novel of Laura's, newspaper accounts of the era, and Alex's (Iris' lover, perhaps Laura's too?) science fiction stories. Atwood is at her best weaving a tale around the themes of women and their roles in society, the effects of the wars and Depression on Canada, and the scandals and stories of difficult childhoods.

This was not a bad read, but once I did some research and found out that it was not true, it changed my feelings about this book. If a book is filled with lies, that is supposed to be nonfiction, it leaves a bad taste in one's mouth.
Check out the reviews on amazon.com from other Mideastern women.

When reading, try to just read for the story and not keep track of the times. The chronology is very confusing. Our group had hard time seeing the purpose and theme of this book. Perhaps love never dies, but it is excruciating as you are waiting for your man to pop in and out. I didn't like the characters, and I wondered why Claire stayed.

I love reading Barbara Kingsolver's books; I think Poisonwood Bible is a classic.
This book started so slowly! I started it when it first came out, and then I took it back to the library. I tried again when my book club picked it. It took me a long time to read, but the final fourth, where the protagonist deals with the McCarthy trials is certainly worth the read. I certainly connected with Shephard, the protagonist, which makes me recommend this book.

I enjoyed this book; the women are incredible. I grew up in the suburbs of Chicago during the 60s and feel very sheltered after having read this novel. Miss Skeeter was putting these Black women at such risk, as well as herself. It takes people with extreme courage to make systemic change!

I found this book informative and inciteful. I had never heard of HeLa cells; what information! However, even more inciteful was the story of the Lacks family and what they suffered due to the illness and misunderstood information about their family member. My club had an interesting discussion about who had the rights to one's body and parts!

I have been meaning to read this book for 2-3 years, as a fellow teacher highly recommended it. I found it a powerful, spiritual journey about a young man, looking for his own Self, his own inner power. I loved the characters, especially Doc. This is a very introspective investigation of apartheid in South Africa.