Review: Oryx and Crake by Margaret Atwood

Here is what it's about, from the back of the book:
Oryx and Crake is at once an unforgettable love story and a compelling vision of the future.  Snowman, known as Jimmy before mankind was overwhelmed by a plague, is struggling to survive in a world where he may be the last human, and mourning the loss of his best friend, Crake, and the beautiful and elusive Oryx whom they both loved.  In search of answers, Snowman embarks on a journey-with the help of the green-eyed Children of Crake-through the lush wilderness that was so recently a great city, until powerful corporations took mankind on an uncontrolled genetic engineering ride.  Margaret Atwood projects us into a near future that is both all too familiar and beyond our imagining.

Honestly, what could I possibly say that would do this book justice?  Margaret Atwood is such a fantastic writer.  She draws you in and makes the world of Jimmy/Snowman so real that you're never left thinking "I really don't believe this would happen.."

This is of course book #1 in the Maddadam trilogy, so there's a lot of explaining of what exactly happened to cause most of the population to die off.  I read The Year of the Flood maybe 2 years ago, and you don't need to read Oryx and Crake beforehand because it can stand alone pretty well, but as I read this one, a lot of things really started to come together.

Also, I just want to give another shoutout to Atwood's writing.  It is perfect.  She is such a wonderful storyteller.  I can't wait to reread The Year of the Flood before reading Maddadam.

Have you read this book?  What did you think??  Let me know in the comments or on Twitter.

Title: Oryx and Crake
Author: Margaret Atwood
Date of Publication: 2003
Number of Pages: 376
Genre: Fiction
Source: Personal Copy