Goodreads rating: 3.68/5
First published: 1969
Author: Margaret Atwood
Genre: feminism, fiction
Marian is determined to be ordinary. She lays her head gently on the shoulder of her serious fiancé and quietly awaits marriage. But she didn't count on an inner rebellion that would rock her stable routine, and her digestion. Marriage a la mode, Marian discovers, is something she literally can't stomach... The Edible Woman is a funny, engaging novel about emotional cannibalism, men and women, and the desire to be consumed.
The above taken from Goodreads.
Marian is ordinary. Her roommate, Ainsley, is rebellious. Marian does everything by the book, what was expected of her by her boyfriend, Peter, and her family. Ainsley, on the other hand, drinks, smokes and party to glory. One day, Peter proposed and Marian happily accepted it. However, everything becomes a blur after that as Marian started losing appetite and interest in her life. Ainsley, instead, has decided to get pregnant and raise the baby on her own.
All in all, with some jests here and there, this was supposed to be a gripping yet funny feminist novel. No doubt it's well written with good pacing and plots but I was just not into it. No matter how much I've tried to read it, dramatically or not, I just couldn't grasped the story in it. Instead I got more confused especially how Marian decided to break the engagement off with Peter. Perhaps I shall re-read it again in the future when the time is right.
I am truly surprised though that this book was actually Atwood's first novel and it's written in 1969. Such feminist plots were not the norm then but so relatable now and current. It felt like Atwood could see the future and knew how the world would evolved into. Things like having babies out of wedlock and having sex in a hotel for unmarried couples were considered illegal then. Not forgetting women were expected to be housewives after marriage was the norm. I was definitely blown away with those facts but still couldn't get into the groove of the story LOL!
Anyway, I've only read Atwood's The Handmaid's Tale so was hoping this book would enlightened and also entertained me. Well, I was wrong and not sure if I should get The Testaments, her new novel which is a sequel to The Handmaid's Tale. The reviews online have been promising so will see how......
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