Synopsis: The novel follows two women as they struggle to survive in a pre- and post-apocolyptic "America." (What, it's Atwood, were you not expecting a plot along those lines?) One is a self-described hypocritical cult member; the other is a dancer at an upscale sex club, and they're both trying to figure out what's happened to their friends and family, and how they'll stay alive long enough to find out.
Review: At turns exploring religion, science, environmentalism, corporate greed and popular culture, Atwood leaves no aspect of our culture unscathed. While "Handmaid's Tale" was a quiet scream, "Flood" is a long, loud bellow, warning against the arrogance and greed of mankind. Gene-splicing creates monstrous creatures with human intelligence, as well as conveniences for everyday living; corporations take on the role of the government, with deadly results for those who aren't helping the bottom line; and chilling references to the wall barring TexMex immigrants from the country: "Flood" is fantastic.
Even better, Atwood writes women as people, not victims. Terrible things happen to and around her characters, and instead of making them pitiful, it makes them strong. Not once do you wonder how these women are going to get past the atrocities; you wonder how these characters are going to see themselves through safely to the end.
If you liked: Anything else by Atwood, Suzanne Collins' Hunger Games or Aldous Huxley's Brave New World, you should pick this book up.
Avoid this if: Dystopian worlds depress you for weeks, or you're looking for some light reading for before bed. This book is not for the faint of heart or the sleepy of mind.
