Surfacing

by Margaret Atwood | Literature & Fiction |
ISBN: 0860680649 Global Overview for this book
Registered by wingPlum-crazywing of Brighouse, West Yorkshire United Kingdom on 11/3/2008
Buy from one of these Booksellers:
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This book is in the wild! This Book is Currently in the Wild!
5 journalers for this copy...
Journal Entry 1 by wingPlum-crazywing from Brighouse, West Yorkshire United Kingdom on Monday, November 3, 2008
Amazon Editorial Review:
A young woman returns to northern Quebec to the remote island of her childhood, with her lover and two friends, to investigate the mysterious disappearance of her father. Flooded with memories, she begins to realise that going home means entering not only another place but another time. As the wild island exerts its elemental hold and she is submerged in the language of the wilderness, she sees that what she is really looking for is her own past.

(ex-library book)

Journal Entry 2 by wingPlum-crazywing at on Monday, February 9, 2009

Released 15 yrs ago (2/10/2009 UTC) at

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On it's way to lukutuoli who "won" it in my Second Anniversary RABCK draw....hope you enjoy it :o)

2009 ULTIMATE CHALLENGE
2009 RABCK RELEASE CHALLENGE (#17)

Journal Entry 3 by winglukutuoliwing from Tampere, Pirkanmaa / Birkaland Finland on Friday, February 13, 2009
I won it, I won it!!! Thank you so much for this book, Margaret Atwood is one of my favourites :) Congrats for your 2nd Anniversary, Plum-crazy!
By the way, the envelope + the book were in perfect condition, but my address on the envelope was covered with a customs declaration sticker telling "KIDS GLOVES". Was this a joke by you or our postman?! I preferred the book, however ;)

Journal Entry 4 by winglukutuoliwing from Tampere, Pirkanmaa / Birkaland Finland on Sunday, September 20, 2009
I admire Atwood as a talented storyteller, but unfortunately this book was hard to follow and reading it was kind of struggle. The characters stayed distant for me, and I didn't actually like them so much. The feeling after having read this book is a little bit embarrassed - what was the story about?!

Journal Entry 5 by winglukutuoliwing at A fellow BookCrosser, A RABCK -- Controlled Releases on Tuesday, October 20, 2009

Released 14 yrs ago (10/20/2009 UTC) at A fellow BookCrosser, A RABCK -- Controlled Releases

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This book will travel as a surprise RABCK to a fellow bookcrosser, who has made me happy a few months ago :)
I enclosed a pink ribbon (Finnish ROOSA nauha) as a part of Liinuskainen's challenge in the Finnish BC-forum.





Journal Entry 6 by dvg from Toms River, New Jersey USA on Monday, October 26, 2009
What a wonderful surprise in my mailbox today! It arrived safely and in perfect condition. Thank you so much for surprising me with a wishlist book. I look forward to reading it soon and sharing it with my fellow BookCrossers. It is extra special to me because this book has traveled so far just to make me smile ~ it is truly appreciated!!

I love the card and ribbon you sent along as well - breast cancer awareness should be high on every woman's list and I will wear this lovely ribbon proudly.

Journal Entry 7 by dvg from Toms River, New Jersey USA on Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Wow. I just finished the last couple of chapters and thought the character has had one too many wild mushrooms and gone completely mad like her father. But having read a few JEs and online commentaries I am made aware of the underlying stories underneath the one that is on paper. I must admit that I enjoyed this book, some parts had to be reread to grasp the intended meaning other than what lies on the surface. This book will probably be re-read again in the future. Since this is the first book I have read by this author, I will be picking up more for certain!

I spotted this JE from another BCID JE which I thought might help other readers as it did me: (Thank you judygreeneyes for this in your JE.)
Wikipedia says that one of the main themes was separation. "...the narrator is shown to be politically dispossessed as an English-speaker in Quebec, at a time in which Quebec was aspiring to become an independent French-speaking nation. The narrator also feels disconnected from the people around her, equating human interaction with that of animals. For example, while overhearing David and Anna make love, the narrator thinks "of an animal at the moment the trap closes."

"Another theme is madness. The protagonist's mental reasoning deteriorates sharply, as the story unfolds from initial signs of mental health issues to a full-blown psychosis. Because Atwood has written in the first person, we are told much of the narrative through monologues, and experience events through the thoughts of the protagonist. This allows for a very detailed and personal portrayal of a mind 'undoing itself'. Although there are nuances in the protagonist's thoughts that suggest mental problems in early chapters, the narrative takes a decisive plunge on page 67. At this point we learn that the protagonist has had a severe trauma in her early adult life, as she sits trying to piece together her past: "then static, like a jumped track." This discovery that she is unable to identify any strong narrative themes in her own memories causes her substantial worry. She finds that she cannot trust her own thoughts, for instance she interrupts her own thinking with a retort: "That's a lie..." This inability to 'know which is the right thought' is profoundly psychotic and from that point on the narrative and the thought processes of the protagonist become disturbingly uncoordinated. She has false memories of her father as a werewolf and her mother feeding jays: the intersection of fairy tales with daily life demonstrate the fragmentation of the narrator's mind."


As for me...I'm off to search the wishlists! Thank you for sharing with me!

Journal Entry 8 by dvg at on Wednesday, December 2, 2009

Released 14 yrs ago (12/2/2009 UTC) at

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Continuing its BookCrossing journey as a surprise wishlist RABCK to Ciloma. Enjoy!

Journal Entry 9 by ciloma from Spirit Lake, Idaho USA on Saturday, December 19, 2009
This one cam eint he mail today. Thanx a bunch!

Journal Entry 10 by ciloma at Spirit Lake, Idaho USA on Friday, October 6, 2017
I found this book hard to follow. Disjointed. Stilted. Nonsensical. I wanted to like it. I have enjoyed other Atwood writings. Not this one. How do I feel about this book? Disappointed. Frustrated. Would I recommend it to anyone? No.

Journal Entry 11 by ciloma at Spirit Lake, Idaho USA on Monday, January 7, 2019

Released 5 yrs ago (1/7/2019 UTC) at Spirit Lake, Idaho USA

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On its way to ChicVolley99.

Journal Entry 12 by Chicvolley99 at Denver, Colorado USA on Monday, January 14, 2019
Received from ciloma. Thank you so much!

Unfortunately, I have chosen to give this book away because of the BCID # (call me superstitious).

Journal Entry 13 by Chicvolley99 at LFL - 12th Ave. And Lincoln St. #12306 in Denver, Colorado USA on Tuesday, January 15, 2019

Released 5 yrs ago (1/15/2019 UTC) at LFL - 12th Ave. And Lincoln St. #12306 in Denver, Colorado USA

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Released at the Little Free Library at 12th and Lincoln. Please enjoy!

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