All in Good Storytime is an interactive, bookish, book club podcast hosted by Alanna, Katya, and Tia. To join the club, make sure you're following us on Twitter to get updates on what book we're reading and to what chapter we are reading through (or what anime we're watching and what episode we are watching through), and listen to the podcast here or on iTunes (see link below) to join in on the discussion. And don't forget to read along!
In the 19th episode of All in Good Storytime, we begin reading Oryx and Crake, the 2003 speculative fiction novel by Margaret Atwood. In these first six chapters, we are introduced to Snowman, aka Jimmy, who is the only one left of his kind in a post-apocalyptic future. His only company is the mysterious children of Crake who regard him as their teacher. Through flashbacks, we learn about Snowman's previous life as Jimmy. During his tumultuous childhood, Jimmy meets Crake, a mysterious and intelligent boy who eventually becomes his close friend. Together, they play violent video games and watch a lot of disturbing porn and executions. Finally, we are introduced to Oryx when Jimmy sees her in child pornography. The section ends with Oryx sharing her story of how she ended up in that position.
In this episode, we discuss our initial impressions to Snowman/Jimmy, Oryx, and Crake. We start out by analyzing the name "Snowman," which Jimmy has given himself, and what this unusual name signifies about his character. Next, we give a broad overview of the multitude of metaphors present in this book from Adam and Eve to a general warning about the costs of scientific progress. We question whether the compounds our characters are living in are truly the only real safe havens left in the world, or if they are being manipulated through fear into staying there. We dissect the nature of Jimmy and Oryx's relationship and chastise his reactions to her childhood abuse. We end by questioning whether or not Jimmy's mom really ran away or if his dad just turned her into a human-rakunk chimera.
In this episode, we discuss our initial impressions to Snowman/Jimmy, Oryx, and Crake. We start out by analyzing the name "Snowman," which Jimmy has given himself, and what this unusual name signifies about his character. Next, we give a broad overview of the multitude of metaphors present in this book from Adam and Eve to a general warning about the costs of scientific progress. We question whether the compounds our characters are living in are truly the only real safe havens left in the world, or if they are being manipulated through fear into staying there. We dissect the nature of Jimmy and Oryx's relationship and chastise his reactions to her childhood abuse. We end by questioning whether or not Jimmy's mom really ran away or if his dad just turned her into a human-rakunk chimera.
Next week, we will be reading chapters 7-10 of Oryx and Crake
by Margaret Atwood.
by Margaret Atwood.
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