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Oryx and Crake

It's a book which takes you to the world where humans have created a new species of humans, called Crakers. A world which has cross breed of dogs and wolves, called wolvogs. A world which goes through an apocalypse. A world through the eyes of a survivor of this apocalypse.

The protagonist of the book is Jimmy, also named as Snowman. Book opens after the apocalypse has occurred, and Jimmy is the survivor. He's narrating the story in two story lines. One is past and another is present.

Past story line covers his childhood, his upbringing, his experiences in life, his relationships with different important people in life. It's how we learn how Jimmy reaches to his present version.

Present narrative takes on his struggle after apocalypse. His relationship with Crakers, the new species. It's also about a journey Jimmy embarks upon for survival, and an intense attempt to stay sane in meaningless life.

Beauty of the book is that these two stories unravel side by side, chapter by chapter. They elaborate minute details of present and connect them to the causes in past. Both story lines move seamlessly and meet at right junction in the book.

Oryx and Crake are the most important people in Jimmy's life. First is his love of life and second is his best friend, but it's more complex than that. Each of them have their own journeys, which contribute to Jimmy's own. They shape his life before and after apocalypse. It's a way in which author tells us, maybe people around us define a lot about our personality and our decisions.

The future world is so detailed, that you can see it in author's words, it keeps revealing itself. It's not a future you'd like, but it might actually come true. It is very well researched. If you like bio-genetics, you'd like it a lot. It comments on cross breeding, cloning and various possible advancements in the field, and their consequences as well.

But the strength of the book isn't just research. It is the ability to describe the thought process of its prime characters. It's the doubts they produce, it's the question they ask, it's the hope they showcase, it's the mistakes they make. You feel it while reading.

Conclusion, it's a book that would take you on a ride which makes you wonder about future, while making you think about present.
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