The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood

From Goodreads.com

   Offred is a Handmaid in the Republic of Gilead. She may leave the home of the Commander and his wife once a day to walk to food markets whose signs are now pictures instead of words because women are no longer allowed to read. She must lie on her back once a month and pray that the commander makes her pregnant, because in an age of declining births, Offred and the other Handmaids are valued only if their ovaries are viable. Offred can remember the years before, when she lived and made love with her husband, Luke; when she played with and protected her daughter; when she had a job, money of her own, and access to knowledge. But all of that is gone now.

   The Handmaid's Tale has been on my TBR list for years, it's a banned book you know? (Is it bad that I look at banned books as precautionary tales?) I finally picked it up after getting it for a steal from one of my daily emails. For some reason I thought this was an older book. I was very surprised to find it was first published in 1986. The writing is good, but I must say it was a little odd at first. There were no quotation marks to distinguish dialogue. After a chapter or two it was easier to realize what was part of a conversation.

   I especially liked that Offred remembers what life was like before the new laws were in place. She is in the transition phase of this take-over. Most dystopian books (at least those that I've read) are taking place after a corrupt system has been in place for numerous years. It was interesting to see how she felt about not being allowed to read, knowing that future generations of girls wouldn't even know how. Along with how she felt about many other changes. They took her daughter away, she wasn't allowed to love, and was passed from household to household when they became dissatisfied with her for not becoming pregnant.

   Obviously if you like the dystopian genre this book is a must read. This should also be on any list of someone who likes banned books. If you're not interested in these genres this book probably isn't for you. 

Eleanor by Jason Gurley

From Goodreads.com

   1985. The death of Eleanor's twin sister tears her family apart. Her father blames her mother for the accident. When her mother looks at her, she sees only the daughter she lost. Their wounded family crumbles under the weight of their shared grief.

   1993. Eleanor is 14 years old when it happens for the first time... when she walks through an ordinary door at school and finds herself in another world. It happens again and again, but it's only a curiosity until the day at the cliffs. The day when Eleanor dives... and something rips her out of time itself.

And on the other side, someone is waiting for her.

   Eleanor begins with a woman (named Eleanor) sitting and watching the rain fall. She is married to a man named Hob and they have a daughter, Agnes. You can feel Eleanor's depression and Hob's adoration is obvious. The story jumps into the future to a set of twins, Esmeralda and Eleanor, and their mother, Agnes. The book reads like a family tale of depression and loss (which it is) but then we meet Mia and strange things start to happen to Eleanor. She finds herself in odd worlds that seem to have no connection to one another. She comes back to her world missing time, hours, even days, have passed.

   I'm not exactly sure how I discovered this book. I feel like a read a recommendation from Neil Gaiman for it, I don't remember where I saw it though. I'm not in the habit of reading a book simply because someone famous recommends it, but it's Neil Gaiman! I remember immediately looking for it at my local library to read the synopsis only to find that we hadn't yet received it.

   Eleanor is a book that will stick with me for a while. I already see myself picking it back up in a year or so just to experience it again. Science fiction is woven perfectly into contemporary fiction. I loved the balance. I like contemporary fiction but sometimes I get too frustrated with the story line. The fantasy aspect definitely kept my attention. Not to mention the writing itself. Gorgeous.

   I recommend this book if you're a fan of Neil Gaiman, it has a similar feel to it. You by no means have to like Neil Gaiman to enjoy this book though. If you normally stick to contemporary fiction, give this book a chance, the sci-fi element might throw you off, but you may just discover you like it.