IN ANYONE else s hands this could be an entirely different – and hugely inferior – story but Margaret Atwood handles it with intelligence, strength and grace. The book focuses on three women Tony, Charis and Roz, survivors of the beautiful, smart, manipul

IN ANYONE else's hands this could be an entirely different - and hugely inferior - story but Margaret Atwood handles it with intelligence, strength and grace.

The book focuses on three women Tony, Charis and Roz, survivors of the beautiful, smart, manipulative, greedy Zenia, who despite apparently being dead, reappears one day when they are having lunch.

Zenia has injured them all in the past in many ways and none of the women welcome her return.

This could so easily have descended into chick-lit catfight territory but coming from Atwood's pen it is so much more than that.

Tony, Charis and Roz are well-drawn, interesting characters who live real, believable, and far from perfect lives, who have troubled backgrounds and with the reappearance of Zenia, fear they face a difficult future as well.

4/5