The Year of the Flood by Margaret Atwood

This dytopian novel creates a world where humans have modified animals, humankind, and tampered with viruses causing an epidemic that has killed off most of the world’s population. Toby and Ren are the main characters who were isolated from the plague when it rips through civilization. Toby is surviving at a spa and Ren is locked in a sex club where she worked. Both knew each other when they belonged to a religious cult called, God’s Gardeners, a science-type religion devoted to preserving the earth and its creatures. Neither women completely embraced the cult to become fanatics. Toby came to the cult for safety after an insane sex-crazed boss wanted to murder her and Ren ended up there when her mom ran off with a man who lived with the cult.

Both women have food but not an endless supply. Ren is running out of food and text-messages her best friend, Amanda, who comes and lets her out of the club. They meet up with some other friends that they know from their days together living in the cult. They are chased by murderers from the club who have personal vendettas against them. They flee to where Toby is and have a battle against their attackers.
This story is violent and gory in parts. The women are victims but both learn to find strength within themselves to survive. Ren is more fragile than Toby and goes through more emotional changes. I didn’t understand the character, Jimmy, and why he was essential to the story. I read some reviews and found out that his story is in the book, Oryx and Crake. This is actually book 2. While interesting and entertaining, I did not find the story as rich or multi-layered as The Handmaid’s Tale.

3 out of 5 Smileys