The Robber Bride

by Margaret Atwood | Literature & Fiction |
ISBN: 1853817228 Global Overview for this book
Registered by over-the-moon of Lausanne, Vaud Switzerland on 12/9/2005
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2 journalers for this copy...
Journal Entry 1 by over-the-moon from Lausanne, Vaud Switzerland on Friday, December 9, 2005
My book has a different cover, sort of 1940ish Hollywood glamour that at first put me off. Then I saw it was a Booker prizewinner so will give it a go.

Journal Entry 2 by over-the-moon from Lausanne, Vaud Switzerland on Thursday, January 26, 2006
First impressions

A most bewildering book.
The title made me think it was something to do with pirates, or smugglers, something like Jamaica Inn.
The front cover picture looks like the poster of a glamorous 1940s Hollywood movie star.
The story so far has nothing to do with either. It is set in Toronto.
We have three women:
A frustrated left-hander, the annoying Tony (Antonia), a petite military historian who keeps reading things backwards and has a second personality called Yton and a husband called West (Stew really but she changed his name back to front and cheated);
Charis (formerly Karen) who is heavily into crystals and other New Age stuff;
Roz, a wealthy company director with a Rolls and a Benz, two teenage daughters and a son aged 21 who spends his life in bed.
They are old college friends. They meet up in a restaurant called Toxique (slumming it). In walks Xenia, who does not acknowledge their presence. The trio are surprised to see her because they went to her funeral (she was blown up by a bomb). They were not sorry to see her dead because from what I gather she stole their husbands. Aha, the robber bride???
The character I know best so far is Tony who plays at soldiers in a sandpit in her basement. For armies she uses peppercorns, cloves, lentils, coriander seeds, so we have green pepper Saracens, for example. She says history is written backwards but I disagree though I’m no war specialist. We may think about it backwards but it unfurls forwards, day after day. And when writing about it we leap back into a point in the past and move forwards from there.

More later.

Journal Entry 3 by over-the-moon from Lausanne, Vaud Switzerland on Wednesday, February 1, 2006
Now I know more about Charis, who can see auras, was abused during her childhood and had a grandmother with healing powers. I get the impression that everyone is making fun of her and treating her like an idiot; she is the one of the trio I like best, actually.

Roz: a rich, tough businesswoman with a soft centre, overweight but what the hell.

Three stereotypical portraits of women in the 60s, 70s and 80s.

Then there's Xenia: a clever, hard-hearted, manipulative liar, who uses the three others to get what she wants (money, men - does she really want the men, or does she want to destroy her friends?). Whatever, she knows how to kick where it hurts. Really, Robber Bride is too nice a name for her. But as we only ever see her through the eyes of the other three characters, it is difficult to know who she is, where she came from, why she is like that. Does she really change herself to suit the circumstance, or is she a negative image of the other three?

Have finished it, but am still bewildered.

Journal Entry 4 by over-the-moon from Lausanne, Vaud Switzerland on Wednesday, April 5, 2006
Sending to marko and paloma for their wedding release (just because there is the word Bride in the title). But it is a book about friendship, love and marriage.

Journal Entry 5 by marko167 from Sitges, Barcelona Spain on Saturday, April 8, 2006
Received for the "Wedding Release"

Thank you Silentmiaouw for the kind wishes and this most unusual of favours to be given to our guests.

Sometime, shortly after the whole affair is done and dusted, we will send you something by means of thank you. I am very interested in the guides you publish and have an idea that you may like.

Journal Entry 6 by marko167 at La Masia José Luis in Madrid, Madrid Spain on Saturday, April 8, 2006

Released 17 yrs ago (5/13/2006 UTC) at La Masia José Luis in Madrid, Madrid Spain

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Released at our wedding. I hope the title doesn't give Paloma ideas!!!

Thanks from a very happy man.

:o)

Journal Entry 7 by marko167 from Sitges, Barcelona Spain on Thursday, February 22, 2007
Have to catch the book to make new release note.

this was one of the books that wasn't picked upp at the wedding (even friends and relatives seem to have problems with the concept of free!!!!!)

Anyway was waiting for a suitable opportunity to release it so here goes.

Journal Entry 8 by marko167 at The Nelson Pub in Basel, Basel-Stadt Switzerland on Thursday, February 22, 2007

Released 17 yrs ago (2/22/2007 UTC) at The Nelson Pub in Basel, Basel-Stadt Switzerland

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Released at the Bookcrossing meet-up.

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