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ATWOOD, Margaret. The Heart Goes Last. London: Virago, 2016. 419p. 143 Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and the United States; and also on her equally large number of honorary degrees from several universities in North America and overseas. She has acquired the status of both literary celebrity³ and highbrow writer to such an extent that her books are all at once best- sellers and objects of academic scrutiny. She is the sort of prolific writer one is ever likely to come across that has held both critical and popular appeal; a feat for few. As observed by Howells (2006, p. 1), “[…] the combination of high seriousness and witty ironic vision […] is the hallmark of Atwood’s literary ATWOOD, Margaret. The Heart production.” Said writerly output spans Goes Last. London: Virago, across five decades, since the 1960s, in 2016. 419p.¹ a variety of literary domains, namely Raphael Marco Oliveira Carneiro² fiction, non-fiction, literary criticism, and poetry. She has penned a shitload4 Submetido em 6 e aprovado em 15 de fevereiro de 2018. of books, among which are novels, short Margaret Atwood (1939- ), without story collections, children’s books, graphic the slightest shadow of a doubt, is the most novels, and critical essays on writing and revered and celebrated Canadian author, Canadian literature. More recently, she has not only in Canada but worldwide. Her also authored some episodes for the TV wide reach and recognition are mirrored series adaptations of two of her novels, on her wealth of national and international The Handmaid’s Tale (1985) and Alias awards garnered in countries as diverse Grace (1996). She was the first writer to as Canada, the Czech Republic, France, contribute to the Future Library Project Germany, Israel, Italy, Macedonia, Spain, thought out by Scottish conceptual artist Interfaces Brasil/Canadá. Florianópolis/Pelotas/São Paulo, v. 18, n. 1, 2018, p. 143-151. 144 Raphael Marco Oliveira Carneiro Katie Paterson, in which every year, fiction. Regardless of these specificities, beginning in 2014, a writer is to contribute humanity is doomed, society has come one text to an anthology that will be unstuck, and catastrophe has set in. This is published in a hundred years’ time. That the premise from which her spellbinding makes 2114 the year when Margaret’s and thought-provoking dystopias stem. manuscript Scribbler Moon among other What is worse is that humans are the writers’ texts will be disclosed to the world perpetrators of such doom; no cosmic in print format with paper made out of or natural disaster to exempt humankind 1,000 pine trees recently planted in Oslo’s from its share of responsibility. If natural Nordmarka forest in Norway. As forests disasters do occur, they are triggered by go, she is an active environmentalist and human action. political commentator who frequently uses The reader who is already Twitter to convey her views and concerns, acquainted with those other dystopias is and to interact with her bunch of followers. certainly going to perceive their waves She has got a finger in every pie, then. One rippling through The Heart Goes Last can only hope she keeps up the good work (hereafter referred to as THGL). Political, for many years to come. environmental, sexual, and women issues, As to The Heart Goes Last (2016), for instance, are common across Atwood’s it bears an unmistakable resemblance to dystopias and novels. Another common other Atwoodian dystopian novels, such as trait, more of a literary device really, is The Handmaid’s Tale and The MaddAddam the presence of character’s voices that Trilogy, which comprises Oryx and Crake haunt, instruct, mock and pester the (2003), The Year of the Flood (2009), leading characters. In THGL, for instance, and MaddAddam (2013). These books, Charmaine’s Grandma Win’s voice which commonly fall within the category accompanies her throughout the whole of speculative fiction, speculate about novel; clearly a voice from happier, safer the future based on present evidences. times, which makes Charmaine wish her to The interplay of themes often generates just piss off. subcategories such as climate fiction, As awards go, the Kitschies Red dystopian fiction, and feminist speculative Tentacle award was bestowed upon Atwood Interfaces Brasil/Canadá. Florianópolis/Pelotas/São Paulo, v. 18, n. 1, 2018, p. 143-151. ATWOOD, Margaret. The Heart Goes Last. London: Virago, 2016. 419p. 145 for THGL for most progressive, intelligent, in which the human component in its and entertaining novel of the year that multifarious leanings is at stake. contains elements of the speculative or Through the emotional fantastic in 2015. This is a telling prize for entanglements of the lustful, fickle and a novel that depicts an all too plausible near mischievous characters, Atwood has future for humankind with characteristic engendered the perfect stage for stinging tongue in cheek. It embraces new ideas and social satire. Society is falling apart and changes with sheer humour and confidence. along with it are its citizens, who often find Readers are likely to catch themselves themselves in tight spots, torn between hard grinning gleefully while reading the novel; choices. Through the lenses of a married and this is when not actually laughing out couple, Charmaine and Stan, Atwood loud. If one laughs, though, one does so meanders along moral dilemmas. For each at one’s own peril, for it is bound to be a quandary they face they are required to bittersweet laugh. Despite the flippant tone, pluck up their moral courage and choose in each hilarious passage an undercurrent their own course, which they fail to do. of impending doom lurks. And once their choices are not their own, While the novel is undoubtedly they seem to fail by default. funny, it contains nevertheless far too The capitalist system in the United many horrors already happening in real States has collapsed, and its citizens are left life to keep readers laughing for long. to chance. So Charmain and Stan decide to These horrors include organ harvesting, sign up for a socioeconomic experiment the use of babies’ blood as a likely that is advertised on TV as the ultimate rejuvenating method, sex slaves, and quick fix. Under the name of Consilience sex robots. Its jest is only in the telling, (Con + Resilience)/Positron Prison, a not in its subject matter. She is clearly corporation builds a walled-up city where taking the piss out of human tragedy, but people are supposed to be residents in not for its own sake. Underneath all her comfortable houses for a month and then drollery, she is drop-dead earnest. Indeed, switch over to being inmates in a prison it is playfulness fraught with foreboding, for another, without ever meeting their a cautionary tale for our troubled times, alternate couple. In this city everybody is Interfaces Brasil/Canadá. Florianópolis/Pelotas/São Paulo, v. 18, n. 1, 2018, p. 143-151. 146 Raphael Marco Oliveira Carneiro a respectful civilian and a criminal. They p. 36), says Consilience’s advert. In an age are enticed by the promise of living what is in which people feel like choosing their advertised as a meaningful life, ‘maximum identities as if trying on different clothing possible happiness’, which means “[…] styles, no wonder anyone would leap at the gainful employment, three wholesome prospect without second thoughts. Then meals a day, a lawn to tend, a hedge to trim, again, while impersonated as Elvis Presley, the assurance that you were contributing to Stan wonders: “Is that all we are? he the general good, and a toilet that flushed” thinks. Unmistakable clothing, a hairstyle, (ATWOOD, 2016, p. 56). Who would say a few exaggerated features, a gesture?” no to that? What with being unemployed, (ATWOOD, 2016, p. 296). not a penny to their name, living off what Their realisation of Consilience’s they could get inside a car, fleeing gangs of dark underbelly comes too late. But even thieves on the rampage, they can hardly be then they attempt to turn a blind eye to all blamed for wanting better life conditions. that; after all, they have a house, a job, and Who would aspire otherwise? But does are well-fed. Why bother with nagging comfort make for a meaningful life? The worries? What is it to them? It follows that thing is that all that glitters is not gold, and, their lives are steeped in self-deception. as it is often the case with too much of a They are constantly trying to frame their good thing, here lies the rub: they cannot actions in a better light, always wrestling get out of Consilience. Soon enough with their small voices, which makes for complications ensue and they realise some funny passages as in “Charmaine, Consilience is not all it is cracked up to Charmaine, whispers the small voice in be. Behind the city’s glittering wholesome her head. You are such a fraud. So are you, facade lies a scam to the benefit of few at she tells it” (ATWOOD, 2016, p. 199). For the expense of many. Does it ring a bell? instance, after murdering a man, or rather They are also allured by the notion ‘repurposing’ him, as Consilience sugar- of self-improvement, of developing one’s coating lingo would have it, Charmain potential to the fullest, of reinventing claims to her knitting circle to have had oneself at will. “Be the person you’ve a perfect day! She firmly believes she is always wanted to be!” (ATWOOD, 2016, doing her duty for the greater good. What Interfaces Brasil/Canadá. Florianópolis/Pelotas/São Paulo, v. 18, n. 1, 2018, p. 143-151. ATWOOD, Margaret. The Heart Goes Last.