Rude Ramsay and the Roaring Radishes

Margaret Atwood's alliterative tale will entertain those with a love for the letter "R," but its otherwise silly and unpleasant tale is short on plot (Ramsay has a rude family that feeds him revolting food. He meets a friend, Rilla, who doesn't have a family but does have a garden of raspberries and robotic radishes.). Diligent readers will have to keep a dictionary close by to look up a bounty of unfamiliar words--raucously, relishing, rampart, rotund, respire, ratchets, repast, riled, revolting, ruckus, rambunctiously, resounded. Adults wanting to convey the playfulness of language and a delight in words may admire Atwood's overly-forced effort. But those wanting a thoughtful plot or richness of character, will find a richer repast elsewear.