From Nowhere: Utopian and Dystopian Visions of our - Chris J. Young

73. Margaret Atwood. The Year of the Flood. Toronto: McClelland & Stewart, 2009.
Situated in an undefined near future, The Year of the Flood focuses on a small group called
God’s Gardeners who have survived the post-apocalyptic events described in Oryx and Crake. The novel
takes place in the years directly preceding and following the outbreak of a deadly pathogen that has
nearly wiped out the human species, an event known in the narrative as ‘the Flood.’ The story is told
from the perspective of Ren and Toby, and the narrative alternates between the portrayal of the two
women’s attempts to survive in the post-Flood world, and their memories of life before it. Like the flood
in the Old Testament, the Gardeners believe that the majority of humanity leads evil lives that are not
worth saving. Following upon similar themes in Oryx and Crake, Atwood’s The Year of the Flood forces the
reader to question the morality behind science and the dark consequences of scientific exploitation.
74. Margaret Atwood. Atwood Papers: The Year of the Flood drafts. 2007-2008.
Among the most difficult editorial decisions is the choice of the title for a book, as was the case
with The Year of the Flood. There were actually two other working titles for the novel before the final
printing of the book. Originally God’s Gardeners, The Feast of Serpent Wisdom was then suggested as
evident from this master copy 9 July 2008. But scribbled over in pencil is the final title, The Year of
the Flood, highlighting the dramatic events about to unfold.
75. Jason McBride (1968–) and Alana Wilcox. uTOpia: Towards a New Toronto.
Toronto: Coach House Press, 2005.
in the wake of Mayor David Miller’s election in November 2003, Toronto experienced a wave of
civic pride and enthusiasm that had not been felt in decades. Torontonians began to see their city
as a place of potential, and began to dream again of a city that was truly workable, livable and
world-class. uTOpia, first published in 2005, aims to capture and chronicle that spirit, collecting
the writings of thirty-four Torontonians who suggest practical measures that would improve
the city, potentially changing it into a utopian metropolis. The anthology explores plans for the
redevelopment of the island airport, a car-free Kensington Market, and how efforts to combat
development of the Spadina Expressway have shaped activism in the city. Although the work by no
means offers a complete picture of events in Toronto during the early 2000s, it does offer a utopian
vision of the city that might be shared with the world.
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