aschlue96
Written on Jun 3, 2021
The Handmaid's Tale is a radical departure for Margaret Atwood. Set in the near future, in a locale that oddly resembles Cambridge, Massachusetts, it describes life in what was once the United States. Now, however, it has become the Republic of Gilead, a monolithic theocracy that has reacted to social unrest and a sharply declining birthrate by reverting to the repressive intolerance of the original Puritans, and has gone far beyond them. This regime takes the Book of Genesis absolutely at its word, with bizarre consequences for women, and for men as well.
The story is told through...Read more
The Handmaid's Tale is a radical departure for Margaret Atwood. Set in the near future, in a locale that oddly resembles Cambridge, Massachusetts, it describes life in what was once the United States. Now, however, it has become the Republic of Gilead, a monolithic theocracy that has reacted to social unrest and a sharply declining birthrate by reverting to the repressive intolerance of the original Puritans, and has gone far beyond them. This regime takes the Book of Genesis absolutely at its word, with bizarre consequences for women, and for men as well.
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 A Clockwork Orange as seen by women: unexpected, funny, horrifying, and altogether convincing. the book is at once a mordant satire and a dire warning. this is Atwood in top form.
--front flap
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 A Clockwork Orange as seen by women: unexpected, funny, horrifying, and altogether convincing. the book is at once a mordant satire and a dire warning. this is Atwood in top form.
--front flap
- ISBN10 0606037977
- ISBN13 9780606037976
- Publish Date 1 January 1985
- Publish Status Out of Print
- Out of Print 13 March 2021
- Imprint Turtleback Books
- Edition Turtleback School & Library ed.
- Format Hardcover (Library Binding)
- Pages 395
- Language English
9780771008139
Hardcover
9781299885998
eBook
9780547345666
eBook
9780224023481
Hardcover
9780449212608
Paperback
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Reviews
kerrydarkeyes
Written on Mar 9, 2021
Don’t think I’ll even bother finishing the TV series, which was my first experience with Handmaid’s Tale. This is so much more superior, and gives you just enough worldbuilding to make Gilead horrifying — over-explaining would make it feel silly. You can definitely feel its age at certain points (June not seeing the Ceremony as “rape” because she agrees to it) but still stands the test of time.
kiracanread
Written on May 13, 2020
The Handmaid's Tale is an alarming view of a dystopian future which really isn't too far from our own with the way we treat our planet. This book broke my heart multiple times and pieced it back together and filled it full of love once more. I wish there wasn't a cliffhanger at the end of the book because I neeeeed to know what happened to certain characters!
Ashley
Written on Dec 28, 2019
- There's no more...Read more
I like the TV show way more. I think the only reason I'm giving this as high as three stars is just because the overall concept is so interesting. The actual execution was shallow and boring.
- There's no more information in the book than the TV show. In fact, there's probably less. So if you're looking for more detail, you won't get any.
- It's written as a stream of consciousness. So we might get an entire page talking about what the garden looks like. Yawn.
- There's so little world building and practically zero backstory for anyone. Even the TV show had me itching for more detail and more history. The book had even less.
- There was nothing satisfying about the ending for two reasons:
1) It was fairly open ended.
2) Because the whole book barely skimmed the surface of anything, I never really came to care about the main character. I wasn't particularly bothered by anything that happened to her.
The TV show got me way more invested. There was more detail into the atrocities, which made me get outraged and thus care. There was more information about how the world got into that state (still not a ton, but more, at least). There was more exploration into Serena Joy's character, which made you see how insanely desperate she was to have a child, which added to the overall story.
If I hadn't watched the TV show prior to reading this book, I doubt I would have finished it. I would have been confused about what was happening, bored out of my mind, and felt like I had no reason to continue.
- There's no more information in the book than the TV show. In fact, there's probably less. So if you're looking for more detail, you won't get any.
- It's written as a stream of consciousness. So we might get an entire page talking about what the garden looks like. Yawn.
- There's so little world building and practically zero backstory for anyone. Even the TV show had me itching for more detail and more history. The book had even less.
- There was nothing satisfying about the ending for two reasons:
1) It was fairly open ended.
2) Because the whole book barely skimmed the surface of anything, I never really came to care about the main character. I wasn't particularly bothered by anything that happened to her.
The TV show got me way more invested. There was more detail into the atrocities, which made me get outraged and thus care. There was more information about how the world got into that state (still not a ton, but more, at least). There was more exploration into Serena Joy's character, which made you see how insanely desperate she was to have a child, which added to the overall story.
If I hadn't watched the TV show prior to reading this book, I doubt I would have finished it. I would have been confused about what was happening, bored out of my mind, and felt like I had no reason to continue.
Kim Deister
Written on Oct 20, 2019
The Handmaid's Tale This book... there are no words for how much Atwood's words affected me. The book was originally published when I was about 16, but I didn't read it. In some ways, I regret that because I think it would have been interesting to compare the two experiences, 30 years apart. Kim at 16 would have taken it in very different ways than Kim at 46. But, on the other hand, I don't think at that age I would have been able to fully appreciate the themes and implications of this novel.
The novel takes place in a dystopian near future (roughly 2004-2005). after society has fallen to a religious new order. The USA is no longer, now known as the Republic of Gilead. Society is based on a literal interpretation of the Book of Genesis, a rather chilling androcentric, misogynistic social order. Birth rates have sharply reason, providing the justification for the new system. Women have had virtually all of their rights taken away, reduced to categories like Jezebels (pleasure women), Marthas (cooks/housekeepers) and Handmaids (fertile breeding women). Aunts are in charge of retraining the lesser women, indoctrinating them in the new world order. Only the Commanders' Wives have even a touch of freedom, but that, too, is limited. The Handmaids even lose their names, becoming "Of-" and whatever the Commander's first name is.
It is a disturbing look at sexual politics, particularly the ways in which sexuality is or isn't expressed based on gender. It is a book about power and how what is seemingly utopian for some, it is clearly dystopian for others.
This is a book that is extremely thought-provoking, especially in this day and age. Despite the fact that it was published 31 years ago, there are so many themes in it that are just as relevant in today's world. There were times when I forgot I was reading a book that supposedly took place more than a decade ago.
The Handmaid's Tale is a part of me now, one of those books that I will read again and again. It is the kind of book that will give you a new experience each time it is read.
The novel takes place in a dystopian near future (roughly 2004-2005). after society has fallen to a religious new order. The USA is no longer, now known as the Republic of Gilead. Society is based on a literal interpretation of the Book of Genesis, a rather chilling androcentric, misogynistic social order. Birth rates have sharply reason, providing the justification for the new system. Women have had virtually all of their rights taken away, reduced to categories like Jezebels (pleasure women), Marthas (cooks/housekeepers) and Handmaids (fertile breeding women). Aunts are in charge of retraining the lesser women, indoctrinating them in the new world order. Only the Commanders' Wives have even a touch of freedom, but that, too, is limited. The Handmaids even lose their names, becoming "Of-" and whatever the Commander's first name is.
It is a disturbing look at sexual politics, particularly the ways in which sexuality is or isn't expressed based on gender. It is a book about power and how what is seemingly utopian for some, it is clearly dystopian for others.
This is a book that is extremely thought-provoking, especially in this day and age. Despite the fact that it was published 31 years ago, there are so many themes in it that are just as relevant in today's world. There were times when I forgot I was reading a book that supposedly took place more than a decade ago.
The Handmaid's Tale is a part of me now, one of those books that I will read again and again. It is the kind of book that will give you a new experience each time it is read.
wcs53
Written on Jul 20, 2019
This is, at times, a harrowing story. There were...Read more
It took me a while to get round to reading this book, but I'm glad I finally did. I figured I should at least read it before watching the TV show.
This is, at times, a harrowing story. There were moments of hope, but these were drowned out by the overall despair of the situation of Offred, the narrator of the story, who is the Handmaid referred to in the title. What was most interesting for me is the this book was written over 30 years ago, yet it spoke to many of the things happening in our world today. What I liked most about this book was that the reality of the world in which it was set was slowly revealed and that it wasn't all obvious from the start. I also enjoyed the way that the past, including how things got to how they were, was also revealed slowly, bit by bit. This made it a very interesting and compelling read.
I'm not going to get into the plot much, as I wouldn't want to give much away. It's worth the read and is a book that hasn't aged over the years since it was first published.
This is, at times, a harrowing story. There were moments of hope, but these were drowned out by the overall despair of the situation of Offred, the narrator of the story, who is the Handmaid referred to in the title. What was most interesting for me is the this book was written over 30 years ago, yet it spoke to many of the things happening in our world today. What I liked most about this book was that the reality of the world in which it was set was slowly revealed and that it wasn't all obvious from the start. I also enjoyed the way that the past, including how things got to how they were, was also revealed slowly, bit by bit. This made it a very interesting and compelling read.
I'm not going to get into the plot much, as I wouldn't want to give much away. It's worth the read and is a book that hasn't aged over the years since it was first published.
Terri M. LeBlanc
Written on Jul 7, 2019
For me, it just wasn't my cup of tea. I wanted to know more about everything happened especially after listening to the historical...Read more
I understand the cultural relevance of this novel and why it has come around in popularity again.
For me, it just wasn't my cup of tea. I wanted to know more about everything happened especially after listening to the historical note at the end. If that hadn't been included, I feel I might have enjoyed the book more. I felt the addition of the conference notes were jarring and a bit "I know something you don't know" and that pissed me off.
For me, it just wasn't my cup of tea. I wanted to know more about everything happened especially after listening to the historical note at the end. If that hadn't been included, I feel I might have enjoyed the book more. I felt the addition of the conference notes were jarring and a bit "I know something you don't know" and that pissed me off.
Melanie
Written on Jan 31, 2018
I'm sure I'm going to upset some people with this, but I think the show is better. The book is good, just not as good. To keep it a hundred, I did watch the show before listening to the book. That could be affecting my thoughts. Highly recommend both.
bettyehollands
Written on Dec 4, 2017
verkaskodova
Written on Nov 25, 2017
Wow. Pořád nevím, jestli něčemu podobnému můžu věřit, na druhou stranu, ve druhou světovou taky nikdo nevěřil, tak proč by něco více, či méně podobného tomuto nemohlo někdy zaujmout své místo v blízké, či daleké budoucnosti. A ten konec, sakra. To má TAKOVEJ potenciál pro další pokračování a stejně jsem asi radši, že to bylo ukončené (Ha, ha, "ukončené" ...) takhle.
Styl Atwood je na jednu stranu skoro až děsivě jednoduchý, na stranu druhou vám předloží nádherné množství metafor, že se v tom jazyku vyžíváte. A pak ta zdánlivá emocionální chladnost daná retrospektivním vyprávěním... Čte se to prostě rychle, jediná brzda je to, že pokud jste slabší povahy jako já, budete si muset dávat nucené pauzy.
Postavy naprosto lidské, chybující a šedé, jak já říkám (ani zatracující černá, ani svítivě bílá).
Seriál nevím, jestli zvládnu, každopádně před spisovatelkou smekám. Obzvlášť, když vím, že příběh vykonstruovala v roce 1984.
Knihu jsem četla v edici nazvané "Vintage Classics". Zařazení totálně chápu.
Styl Atwood je na jednu stranu skoro až děsivě jednoduchý, na stranu druhou vám předloží nádherné množství metafor, že se v tom jazyku vyžíváte. A pak ta zdánlivá emocionální chladnost daná retrospektivním vyprávěním... Čte se to prostě rychle, jediná brzda je to, že pokud jste slabší povahy jako já, budete si muset dávat nucené pauzy.
Postavy naprosto lidské, chybující a šedé, jak já říkám (ani zatracující černá, ani svítivě bílá).
Seriál nevím, jestli zvládnu, každopádně před spisovatelkou smekám. Obzvlášť, když vím, že příběh vykonstruovala v roce 1984.
Knihu jsem četla v edici nazvané "Vintage Classics". Zařazení totálně chápu.