You know I'm a huge Margaret Awood fan, but to be honest I didn't really enjoy this collection of short stories. I really liked the first few, and then the more the pages turned, the weirder and slower it got, and I just couldn't get into it. While it's really these strange characters and eccentricities that I usually like in Atwood, this was a bit too much. 1/3 of the book was brilliant, 2/3 were over the top for me. So I'm going to tell you about the two short stories I found most interesting.

// Morte de Smudgie
This is about the death of a cat. It's tragic and full of pathos, but it's also extremely funny, and I laughed, even though the subject was ABSOLUTELY wrong. I am an unconditional cat lover. I found this short story very deep and personal, because for me here she wasn't just talking about a cat, a best friend. It went further and I extrapolated, and for me she was actually telling us about the death of her husband, her life companion, Gramme Gibson. Besides, while I was reading this tragic news with an Italian renaissance air, I couldn't stop thinking about the late Zarathustra, @fatcatart on IG. if you don't know this account, go for it!!! I was so sad when he died.

// The dead interview
I've been looking forward to reading this one because at the conference I attended a few months ago, Atwood spoke at length about this imaginary “conversation with George Orwell". She jokes about the fact that he died before she could send him reviews copies to introduce him to his work when she was young (lol I love this woman).

I'm still delighted to have had the opportunity to see her in real life and to attend a conference where she talks about this book, even if I was actually disappointed by these short stories. This format is always difficult to grasp, both as an author and as a reader. So I think I'll give her a second chance by rereading one or two short stories here and there.

A smattering of stories that all feel very Atwood but in different ways -- some quiet, some more spectacular. I will say that this didn't feel like a page-turner read like some short story collections do. The material was deeper and harder to dig into than a breezy anthology. Morte de Smudgie was my favourite (cat people gonna cat people).

I always look forward to Margaret Atwood’s latest offerings, and must admit that I was surprised by the tone of these fifteen short stories, many exploring death and loss. However, many seem to reflect her own life trajectory, especially in the last few short stories, which poignantly explore the protagonist’s grief, as she moves through life without her husband.

As usual, the short stories have their quirks (a snail taking over a human’s soul and trying to adapt to a new world, in which it is expected to eat meat and navigate a relationship with the human’s boyfriend is a particularly noteworthy entry). Ms. Atwood once again displays her proficiency in poignant storylines, with insight and wisdom not often encountered with other writers.

OLD BABES IN THE WOODS is a collection of short stories written by Margaret Atwood.
The stories are grouped together in three parts. The first part is called Tig & Nell, the second is called My Evil Mother and the last is called Nell & Tig.
With most short story collections I tend to be drawn to certain stories and like them more than the others. I liked the Tig & Nell stories and the Nell & Tig stories the best.
I am a big fan of Margaret Atwood’s writing and enjoyed this collection.
Thank you to Penguin Random House Canada and NetGalley for allowing me access to an advanced digital edition of this book,

As an avid Atwood fan, I'm likely very biased, but as a bookseller, I loved this. It's always fun to read new Atwood and I do love a good collection of short stories. They're great for when your attention span is suffering and you want something quick before bed. I really enjoyed this.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House Canada for providing a copy of Old Babes in The Wood by Margaret Atwood in exchange for an honest review. This collection of 15 short stories by Margaret Atwood manages in equal parts to entertain and make you think and feel. At times, the stories seem rather personal, especially the Tig & Nell stories which explores the subject of loss. I especially enjoyed “The Dead Interview” in which Atwood has a conversation with George Orwell facilitated through a spiritual medium. It is easy to imagine these two authors having this very chat about the world today. Morte de Smudgie was a rather unique interpretation of a Tennyson poem honouring Nell and Tig’s cat. Each story unique, some clearly delve into science fiction fun (My Evil Mother and Death by Clamshell stood out to me) it is the final Nell & Tig stories that resonated most with me. This explores Nell’s life after the loss of Tig. This feels emotional and it’s not hard to imagine that these stories are personal to Atwood. Old Babes in the Woods would be perfect for Atwood fans, short story lovers, and those wanting to dip a toe in Canadian literature who will no doubt jump right in after reading.

A writer friend told me that after taking Margaret Atwood’s masterclass, she now wants to go for a drink with her. Writer pal is in luck because reading this book was a lot like (how I imagine) that would feel! The stories in this brilliant collection are original and the absolute definition of writerly voice. Here, I provide my short list of the stories that most resemble a dream pub date with #MargaretAtwood.

In Free-for-all, Atwood imagines another dystopia necessarily obsessed with reproduction. But this time it's the women who are running it.

Airborne: A Symposium is a funny romp about some elderly scholars planning to endow a chair at a university. No detail of southern Ontario genteel hospitality or female grooming is spared. "Medal in Heaven" lolz

Widows, in which a letter writer rambles on about old age and grief, only to discard the complicated truth and replace it with a conventional, courteous response.

A Dusty Lunch: a woman meditates on the World War II experiences of her late father-in-law when she happens upon some poems he wrote in Europe and a letter to him from Martha Gellhorn. Bonus point for not mentioning Hemingway.

I didn't love every story but I loved most of them.

4ish stars

I quite enjoyed several of the pieces in this collection. Some of them weren’t my style (and I was a bit hesitant about the direction they might’ve been going), but others were interesting, and they served as reminders of why I’ve liked her storytelling in the past. I’m not sure that I’ll revisit this book in the future, but I did appreciate reading them now.

Atwood has range and, the problem for me, is that I love certain parts of that range but don't particularly care for others.

This book is divided into 3 parts, each part with many short stories. The first and third sets of short stories focus on a couple I didn't much care for, while the middle stories were a grab bag. While there were some enjoyable moments, I largely found these forgettable and skippabale.

Recommended for Atwood completionists who are in the headspace for a lot of stream of consciousness and characters who ask "what if' while going about their daily lives.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the eARC!

Old Babes in the Wood
by Margaret Atwood

There are so many women in the world that I admire, and Margaret Atwood is a part of that group. Her intellect, creativity, and examinations of social issues are all so inspiring to me.

I have yet to read all of her work but am (slowly) making my way through her novels  — OK, I've only read two so far, but they are both on my list of favourites. 🙃

Given this,  I had to get my hands on her new book, OLD BABES IN THE WOOD. 

It's a collection of 15 short stories that touch on a variety of subjects (life, old friendships, relationships ) and features multiple genres.  

Some stories I really liked and some I didn't enjoy as much.  The Tig and Nell stories really resonated with me, as did Death by Clamshell (wow!) and the interview with George Wells. 

I did enjoy this book but wasn't as immersed in it as with her novels that I've read. I think that's likely because I don't enjoy short stories as much, generally speaking.

As usual, though, I am still blown away by her mind and creativity.

So if you do like short stories or Margaret Atwood, I think you'll enjoy this collection. 

oh, and did anyone else notice the dual images on the cover?

Thank you and @penguinrandomca and @netgalley for the advance copy in exchange for an honest opinion.

Fifteen short stories that cover mother/daughter dynamics, magic and being married amongst other subjects.

I have always loved Atwood’s writing and that still applies! I liked the peculiarity of some of the writing. Atwood has this talent of writing something completely absurd and making it enjoyable. My favourite story was My Evil Mother. I didn’t care for most of the stories, but the ones that I liked, I really liked!

Old Babes in the Woods by Margaret Atwood is an anthology of her short stories.

First, let me thank NetGalley, the publisher Penguin Random House Canada, and of course the author, for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.


My Synopsis and Opinions:
As always, I will rate each of the fifteen short stories on their own.  Note that some of these have been published in magazines and other venues, but all of them are characteristic of Atwood's writing style and creativity.

The stories are broken up into sections:

Section 1.  TIG & NELL  (the life and times of a married couple)

(1) First Aid -They take a first aid course, and Nell ruminates on close calls they have had, and wonders if their new training may have helped. Quite funny.  5 stars

(2) Two Scorched Men - They vacation in a small town in Paris and meet John and Francois, two friends with rather outlandish stories.  Just didn't see the charm.  2 stars

(3) Morte de Smudgie - Their cat Smudgie dies, and Nell re-write's Tennyson's story to reflect on death.  Interesting, if somewhat boring.  3 stars



Section 2.  MY EVIL MOTHER (Witches, supernatural, science fiction and others)

(1) My Evil Mother - A 15 year old girl thinks her mother may be a witch, but may be just a little over-protective.  I've read this before, and still love it!  5 stars

(2) The Dead Interview - An interview with George Orwell through a medium.  What a delightful conversation.  5 stars

(3) Impatient Griselda - A being from another planet tells the "Earth" story of two sisters.  Loved it!  5 stars (or more)

(4) Bad Teeth - Two women gossip about a man whom one insists the other slept with.  The other claims she has never even heard of him.  Frustratingly comical.  4 stars

(5) Freeforall - In a world of a sexually transmitted disease, a woman is responsible for arranging marriages between uncontaminated couples. Wow, simply Wow.  5 stars

(6) Metempsychosis or, the journey of the soul - A snail's soul re-emerges in the body of a young woman (or a woman needs major psychiatric help).  Interesting.  4 stars

(7) Airborne: a symposium - Three old feminists meet to write up a university proposal for a new chair, but have problems getting started.  Witty, but I felt it lacked a point.  3 stars

(8) Death by Clamshell - The life/death of a woman in a different time.  This was really good, really thought-provoking.  5 stars


NELL & TIG

(1) A Dusty Lunch - The life of Tig's father, a veteran of WWII is examined.  Not my cup of tea -- perhaps because my dad and uncle also served in WWII.  2 stars

(2) Widows - Nell is grieving the loss of Tig.  Rather heart-breaking.  3 stars

(3) Wooden Box - Nell starts cleaning out old things of Tig's.  Again, sad.  3 stars

(4) Old Babes in the Wood - Nell and her sister start clear up the old cabin.  I don't know what to say....boring, and yet....  2 stars


So, overall, I loved the middle section of the book.  These stories dealt with the unknown, and showed a lot of Hoffman's imagination.  Just brilliant!

The Nell & Tig chapters I found a little sad, yet very moving, and wonder how much of this was actually based on Hoffman's relationship with Graeme Green.  I think, due to my age, they may be hitting a little close to home. The stories are about aging, and loss, and what happens when your partner dies....so a lot are bound to be a little sad, yet there is something about them that just brings out the fact that they are about a long life of love.

Bottom line...if you are a Hoffman fan...you can't miss this one.

A great story collection from a master storyteller, ATWOOD MARGARET. Exploring the trials of life, failure and redemption, excellent read!

An interesting collection of fifteen short stories from Margaret Atwood. Very creative collection. Always enjoy reading Atwood’s works.
* I received an advanced reader’s copy of this book from NetGally and Penguin Random House Canada, McClelland & Stewart in exchange for my honest review.

I really enjoyed Old Babes in the Wood by Margaret Atwood! I love CanLit and short stories so I was very eager to read this book. I enjoyed all fifteen of the stories and my faves were all in section two My Evil Mother. I loved the Toronto setting in some of the stories and the humour throughout! Most of these stories have a fairy tale sensibility that’s quite whimsical. There’s a fun story that’s an interview with George Orwell. I liked how part one and three were linked featuring the same characters. The stories with older female characters were great! So glad I got to read these stories!
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Thank you to Penguin Random House Canada via NetGalley for my advance review copy!

A collection of short stories about aging, friendship, and grieving. The usual wit and irreverence. Also poignant and beautiful.

Title: Old Babes in the Wood

Author: Margaret Atwood

Publication Date: March 7, 2023

Publisher: Penguin Random House Canada, McClelland & Stewart

Suggested Reader Age: PG 13 Some material may not be suitable for children.

Genre: General Fiction, Adult, Short Stories

Pages: 304

Content Warnings: death, talk of suicide, description of injury, gore, violence
First Aid - a story about Nell and Tig. Nell arrives at an empty home to find a knife next to a bloodstained carrot on the cutting board. She suspects Tig has cut himself, decided he needed stitches and headed to the hospital with their daughter. There's introspection on how things have changed. We once had to wait and find out about emergencies, but now with cell phones, we find out almost immediately. How has it changed us? I love the character they meet named Mr. Foote because he's a fellow Newfoundlander. ★★★

Two Scorched Men - Nell reminisces about her and Tig's landlord named John and John's friend François. It's a sad thought to be the only person left alive from a memory. ★★★

Morte De Smudgie - a story about grief and the strange forms it takes. Smudgie was Nell and Tig's cat. ★★

"There is no 'only a', she told herself. Nothing and no one is 'only a'."

My Evil Mother - This was one of my favourite stories. It's about mother-daughter relationships. The daughter always thought her mother was evil, classmates and neighbours called her "crazy". The daughter's father isn't around, she doesn't even know who he is, however, she desperately wants to know why he left and if he loved her at all. ★★★★

"I certainly didn't want any pointing going on; pointing was how you directed a spell."

The Dead Interview - an imaginary interview between Margaret Atwood and George Orwell (author of Animal Farm, 1984). This was one of my least favourite stories in the collection. ★

Impatient Griselda - an alien was sent to earth on an "intergalactic-crises aid package" and is tasked with keeping humans entertained by telling them a story. I laughed out loud reading this story. One of my favourites in the collection. ★★★★★

"On my planet, only snacks whimper. Those who are not snacks do not whimper."

Bad Teeth - Two "dear old friends" are reminiscing about love (or misremembering). This story takes place during the second Covid summer. I found this story a little boring, but it did make me smile. ★★

Freeforall - is about a version of the future where a sexually-transmitted disease has wiped out humans. I found this story boring. ★

Metempsychosis - "the journey of the soul". I still don't know if I liked this or not. It's super weird, but at the same time, I found myself enjoying it. It's about a snail whose soul jumped from a snail's body into a human body. The snail soul has a hard time adapting to the human body. ★★★

Airborne: a Symposium - is about females talking about their experiences with feminism and sexism. I appreciate the discussion, however, I found this story to be long, meandering, and boring. ★

Death By Clamshell - is a fictional retelling of Hypatia of Alexandria's brutal murder. I loved this story and it made me want to know more about Hypatia. ★★★★★

A Dusty Lunch - Another story featuring Nell and Tig. Nell finds a folder of poems written by her late father, Jolly Old Brigadier aka J.O.B., and is shocked to discover there was so much more to him than she ever knew. ★★★★

"What was it like to live with a man who was only half there? The other half was off somewhere else, left behind on the other side of the Atlantic in a ravaged landscape that couldn't be mentioned."

Widows - Nell writes a letter to Stevie talking about how she is doing since Tig died. ★★★★★

Wooden Box - Nell finds a box of Tig's belongings after his death and reminisces about their life together. ★★★

Old Babes in the Wood - Nell and Lizzie are at the cabin in the woods. Nell's heart is broken after Tig's death, but she carries on doing the things that need to be done at the cabin. This story brought me to tears. Absolutely beautiful. ★★★★★

I wonder if characters Tig & Nell are inspired by Atwood's forty-eight-year relationship with Graeme Gibson.

› I use the CAWPILE method to rate books.
0-3 Really bad
4-6 Mediocre
7-9 Really good
10 Outstanding

› Characters: 4
Character-driven stories with medium character development. It would have been nice to see more character flaws, conflict, backstory, and diversity.

› Atmosphere: 10
Excellent descriptions, world-building and emotions.

› Writing Style: 10
High-quality writing, some of the sentences hit you right in the feels. Excellent readability and dialogue. I really enjoy Atwood's writing style.

› Plot: 3
This collection has a slow-medium pace.

› Intrigue: 4

› Logic: 7

› Enjoyment: 6

Average 6.3

1.1-2.2 = ★
2.3-4.5 = ★★
4.6-6.9 = ★★★
7-8.9 = ★★★★
9-10 = ★★★★★

My Rating ★★★

› Final Thoughts
• Old Babes in the Wood is an eclectic collection of reflective, emotional, and sometimes humourous short stories about life, relationships, alternate futures, memories and death. Like most short story collections, there will be some you love and some you don't. Overall, I enjoyed this collection quite a bit and am looking forward to reading more from Atwood.


Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for sending this book for review. All opinions are my own.

This just wasn’t for me. It seems that Ms. Atwood’s books are a hit or miss for me and unfortunately this book for short stories was a miss.

After reading My Evil Mother last year I was very excited for another Atwood collection to come out, and this one did not disappoint!
Once again, she takes us away on many thought provoking journeys that linger long after the short story is over. This book goes straight through the heart, but with that twist of Atwood’s personal cleverness that puts her above the bar.

Two parts of the stories in this book feature a couple who’ve shared many poignant life experiences ,while the rest of the stories also share themes of aging, the world changing, and relationship growth to name a few. All of them left me contemplating certain aspects of life, and sparked interesting conversations in my household. Mostly, they left me hugging my partner.

Personally, My Evil Mother, and Death by Clamshell were my favourite stories, but The Dead Interview was so brilliant and entertaining it’s worth reading the book for it alone in my opinion.

Thank you to Netgalley, Penguin Random House Canada, and Margaret Atwood for the advanced copy of the book in exchange for an honest review!

I really enjoyed these 5 stories but then again. I love Margaret Atwood stories. Agone who is anfan of hers will enjoy!!

Thanks Netgalley and publisher for allowing me to read this for an honeat review.

All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own and aren’t influenced by anyone else