Oryx and Crake is part 1 of Margaret Atwood’s MaddAddam Trilogy. I read part 2 without knowing it was part 2 of anything, then read part 3 because it became available at the library before part 1. By reading part 1 last, I had a much different perspective on the story and characters, knowing where the arc would end.
The story is about a genius boy/man who creates a super-virus to wipe out most of humanity as well as genetically engineers a new species of human to “correct” all the physical, emotional, political problems that existing humans have.
After the “waterless flood” wipes out most of humanity, the protagonist (not the boy genius) copes with the chaos and figures out how to take care of the new species. Told in flash backs interspersed with aftermath challenges, this dystopian novel is a good entry into the MaddAddam Trilogy.
p.s. I loved this line of the protagonist describing his girlfriend: unguent, unctuous, sumptuous, voluptuous, salacious, lubricious, delicious.
