This novel tells a story parallel to Oryx and Crake, and although it was well written and enjoyable, I’m not quite sure what the point of it was. For anyone who has read Oryx and Crake, there is very little new info. It is stuff you already knew, seen through the eyes of new characters. Except they aren’t really new characters either, just ones that played only bit parts in Oryx and Crake.
We get to see how the God’s Gardeners live, and there is some interesting religious/spirituality stuff there. We get to see a bit more of the broken down world, and find out what happened to Jimmy’s mom. But.. really, if you asked me what the book was about I’d have a hard time saying something other than ‘It’s about what happened in Oryx and Crake.’
I listened to the audiobook, and there were several songs that they actually produced music for, which I’d never seen done in an audiobook before. I was impressed by that, and it added a lot of depth to the world.
Recommended if you’re a big fan of this world, or the author, but otherwise I’d just as soon read something new than rehash what I’ve already read in Oryx and Crake.
Jonas David 