From the back cover..."Imprisoned by walls of their own construction, here are three people, each in midlife, in midcrisis, forced to make choices--after the rules have changed. Elizabeth, with her controlled sensuality, her suppressed rage, is married to the wrong man. She has just lost her latest lover to suicide. Nate, her gentle, indecisive husband, is planning to leave her for Lesje, a perennial innocent who prefers dinosaurs to men. Hanging over them all is the ghost of Elizabeth's dead lover...and the dizzying threat of three lives careening inevitably toward the same climax."

I liked it. 'Course, I've liked every one of Atwoods books so far. She doesn't always paint a cheery portrait, but I find that there's always humour and compassion somewhere. I always see myself somewhere in her characters too...not like one specific person is me, just that there's pieces of me in most of her characters. Good and bad ; )

Going to offer this as a bookring...PM me if you're interested (oh and by the way, the cover is different on the copy I have).

Here's the list for this book:
jendudley (Texas) <----- 'caught' Nov. 29/03!
Secotyne (Switzerland)<----- 'caught' Feb. 24/04!
WarEagle78 (Alabama)<----- 'caught' April 8/04!
weeblet (Virginia)<----- 'caught' May 7/04!
butlin (New Hampshire)<----- 'caught' June 7/04!
Joland (The Netherlands) <----- Joland is 'missing' so butlin will send to the next person wendy8869
wendy8869 (California) <----- didn't respond when asked for address....
rubij (Utah) "member cannot be found" ?...
prplpec (Georgia) <-----'caught' June 7/04!
clawdette (Louisiana)
arugh48187 (Minnesota)
Kernow8 (Virginia)
fanclub

Got this in the mail today! Gonna start reading tonight!
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I simply could not get into this book. I started reading it several times, just to put it down and get sidetracked by another book. I have read Atwood before and liked her, but this one just didn't do it for me.

Yiphee ! It was in my mail box today.

It's not the best Atwood I ever read.
But it was as usually well written, describing very rich characters. Thank you.
It's gone to WarEagle78 this morning.

Received today from Secotyne. Thanks for sending! Will journal again when read.

I did not care for this book. I found the characters self-absorbed and disagreeable, and was never particularly clear on their motivations. I'm sure someone else will have better luck.

Will go out to weeblet on my next post office stop!

In mail today to weeblet. Sorry it took so long!

got it! thanks :)

it's a good thing i read 'the hand maid's tale' before i tried to read 'surfacing', and this one, or i might not have.
her writing is outstanding, but i didn't much care for the characters...
thanks for sharing!
**mailing 5/21**

I just couldn't get into this book so I am going to send it along to the next person. Hopefully they'll enjoy it more than I did.

6/24/2004
Still tryng to get address for Wendy8869. If I don't hear from her soon I will e-mail the next person in line.

Mailed 7/15/04 to prplpec.

Received in today's mail. Will put in line after three bookrings--hope to have it in the mail in two or three weeks.

I agree with most of the previous journalers--this book was not one of Atwood's best. The characters were not likeable at all--I had a hard time finishing the book. Usually I love books by this author.
In the mail today to Clawdette.

recieved this last week, will journal when read

sorry that i've had this for so long..I finally got to it and am now releasing to arugh48187 today

Received this in my mailbox today. I have a couple of rings in front of it, but I should get to it soon. You can track its progress via my bookshelf.

Mmmm. I am going to have to agree with most of the readers of this book. I didn't like it much either and none of the characters were very likeable. This makes the third Atwood book that I have read. I liked The Handmaid's Tale but didn't care for Orxy and Crake. Anybody have any recommendations on what of hers to read next so that I don't toss in the towel and claim I don't like her books?

Kernow8 asked to be skipped, so this is off to fanclub later this week.

RELEASE NOTES:

Kernow8 asked to be skipped so this is off to fanclub. Happy reading!

Arrived today. I have one book to finish and one ahead of this, and then I'll be reading it! I am the end of this bookring so when I finish I will find the book a good home! :)