49 pages 1 hour read

Margaret Atwood

The Heart Goes Last

Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 2015

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Before You Read

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Super Short Summary

The Heart Goes Last by Margaret Atwood follows a young married couple, Stan and Charmaine, navigating a financial crash that leaves them homeless. They join the Positron Project, which offers stability in exchange for freedom, and end up entangled in secretive and morally dubious activities. Themes include love, obsession, free will, and the destructive greed within capitalist societies. Contains themes like coerced intimacy, euthanasia, and unethical practices.

Reviews & Readership

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Review Roundup

Margaret Atwood's The Heart Goes Last presents a dystopian future blending dark humor with chilling societal critique. Reviewers praise its inventive plot and sharp wit but note uneven pacing and underdeveloped characters. While the novel's satirical edge is celebrated, some find the narrative's resolution unsatisfying. Overall, it offers a provocative, if sometimes flawed, exploration of human nature.

Who should read this

Who Should Read The Heart Goes Last?

Fans of dystopian fiction and dark satire will enjoy Margaret Atwood's The Heart Goes Last. Readers who appreciate themes of societal control and human resilience, similar to those in George Orwell's 1984 and Aldous Huxley's Brave New World, will find this book captivating and thought-provoking.

RecommendedReading Age

18+years

Book Details

Genre

Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction

Modern Classic Fiction

Themes

Emotions/Behavior: Love

Values/Ideas: Power & Greed

Values/Ideas: Fate