Oryx and CrakeOryx and Crake
Score Modern
What it's about
Snowman, once known as Jimmy, may be the last human after a plague. He mourns his best friend, Crake, and the beautiful, elusive Oryx, whom they both loved, while looking after the gentle, green-eyed Children of Crake. In search of answers, he sets out through the wilderness that was recently a great city.
Why it's worth reading
It was a finalist for the Booker Prize and the Women's Prize, and it's on the Guardian's list of the best books of the 21st century. It's a chilling, darkly funny vision of a future shaped by biotechnology.
You'll love it if you liked
The Handmaid’s Tale
Never Let Me Go
The RoadGood to know
It's the first of the MaddAddam trilogy. It alternates between Snowman's present and Jimmy's past.
By the numbers
- Readers43 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics75 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Bestseller34 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #85 of the 313 science fiction books we rank
- #478 of the 1,573 modern books we rank
- #916 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
Adventurous, Dark
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Quick answers
Is Oryx and Crake worth reading?
Yes. It was a finalist for the Booker Prize and the Women's Prize, and it's on the Guardian's list of the best books of the 21st century. It ranks #916 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 73.8 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is Oryx and Crake about?
Snowman, once known as Jimmy, may be the last human after a plague. He mourns his best friend, Crake, and the beautiful, elusive Oryx, whom they both loved, while looking after the gentle, green-eyed Children of Crake. In search of answers, he sets out through the wilderness that was recently a great city.
How long does it take to read Oryx and Crake?
About 10 hours (402 pages), or about 3 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after Oryx and Crake?
If you liked it, try The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood, Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro or The Road by Cormac McCarthy.