Now a Hulu Original SeriesThe Handmaid’s Tale is a novel of such power that the reader will be unable to forget its images and its forecast. Set in the near future, it describes life in what was once the United States and is now called the Republic of Gilead, a monotheocracy that has reacted to social unrest and a sharply declining birthrate by reverting to, and going beyond, the repressive … beyond, the repressive intolerance of the original Puritans. The regime takes the Book of Genesis absolutely at its word, with bizarre consequences for the women and men in its population.
The story is told through the eyes of Offred, one of the unfortunate Handmaids under the new social order. In condensed but eloquent prose, by turns cool-eyed, tender, despairing, passionate, and wry, she reveals to us the dark corners behind the establishment’s calm facade, as certain tendencies now in existence are carried to their logical conclusions. The Handmaid’s Tale is funny, unexpected, horrifying, and altogether convincing. It is at once scathing satire, dire warning, and a tour de force. It is Margaret Atwood at her best.
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Set in the near future this book is told from a handmaid’s perspective and recounts her story as a forced surrogate. A surrogate who has no rights and is forced to endure life in a totalitarian society where fertile women are treated as property. It’s a society where men are the absolute rulers and women can no longer work, own property or even …
At first, I thought it was a little far fetched. Now, watching the current administration try to take away our rights to control our own bodies, I find it frighteningly possible. It has inspired me to stay vigilant and become more involved.
implausible and logically inconsistent. The danger of an author with no understanding of speculative fiction trying to write it. If you like message fiction without a good foundation it might work for you.
I’m not sure how to rate it or what I really thought…..
A disturbing dystopia, well written.
I read this book the first year it was published. I hated it.
Still haunted by this book and how easily this fictitious world could become our reality. Suggested reading for ALL women. Can’t wait til the sequel!
I just couldn’t do it. This was my goal book for the year. And it took me nearly the year to read it. After the big hype of the Series on Hulu, last year I got myself a used copy of the book. I Dnf’ed last year and came close several times to repeating that. But I told myself,
” There has to be something in this book. Everyone raves about it, …
Predicts where things may be heading today!
After all the hype I expected something much more riveting, but I enjoyed it.
I read this book thirty years ago as a teenager and I liked it then but it was so much more meaningful now.
I was extremely moved by Margaret Atwood’s “Handmaid’s Tale”. Pay attention, people, this tale is not so far-fetched as it was when first published. Beware of the pious, the hypocrites, the ones who think they have all the answers for the way YOU should live.
Fabulously scarey
Only about 100 books done better.
I liked the twist on the dystopian future and I find it especially relevant with what is happening today. Offred was an intriguing character with her insights. It is a must read for readers who enjoy this type of story. I find it one of my favorites of Margaret Atwood’s books.
This book was intriguing. The Hulu original takes it much farther!! Great!!
I guess lm in the minority.Found this book extremely depressing. Could not imagine any of my family female members living in that civilization. They would have fought to their last breath against it.
Overall disappointing read.
Although I didn’t mark “realistic”, our society, in many ways, seems to be heading in trajectory of this book. The follow-up to this, The Testaments, is a great companion piece.
To be honest, after all the hype this book has had lately, I was expecting more and better. Especially since there are have not been any sequels. At least not until Hulu made it a successful TV series, not apparently the author is going to release a sequel in late 2019.