The world that Margaret Atwood’s Oryx and Crake takes place in contains genetically engineered pigoons (pig and baboon hybrids), rakunks (raccoon and skunk hybrids), and wolvogs (wolf and dog hybrids). Technological advances such as this do have many advantages, but they also lead to the downfall of this society. Oryx and Crake tells the story of Snowman (previously known as Jimmy), one of the survivors of the apocalypse, as he remembers his friends Oryx and Crake and tries to understand the events leading up to the world’s destruction. Snowman is stuck with the Crakers, creatures that Crake created with the intent of making a peaceful society.

Oryx and Crake has many aspects that make this novel worth reading. The thematic ideas of science and technology are comparable to the themes found in other novels such as Frankenstein and Brave New World. Furthermore, the relationships between Jimmy, Crake, and Oryx are interesting to explore. Jimmy and Crake remain close friends throughout their lives, even though they are very different from each other (Crake is a scientific genius who becomes a successful genetic engineer while Jimmy considers himself a “words person” rather than a good scientist). However, Crake does betray Jimmy. The character Oryx, a woman who Crake hires to work for him and becomes Crake and Jimmy’s lover, adds further tension to Crake and Jimmy’s friendship.

Oryx and Crake provides readers with many interesting ideas to think about.