I thought the concept of this book was super Interesting and I’m a huge lover of dystopian futures and speculative fiction. I’ve liked Margaret’s other books so I figured I’d love this one.

I was interested at first but as you continue reading nothing really happens. You’re like a fly on the wall watching this girls daily activities and it’s pretty bland. The concept is very interesting but I couldn’t finish the book. Totally lost interest.

Fast moving story that I could not put down!! I cannot wait to read more of her books. I love futurist themed "what-if this happened " books.

A great orwellean story.

It's 1984... FOR WOMEN!

Alright, alright, of course this novel can't be so shallowly summarized, and if anything it is certainly a tribute to the work that it manages to rise above such a simple description. The Handmaid's Tale is a dystopian story of a woman (known only to the reader as 'Offred', a melding of 'of' and 'Fred') living in the young dystopian 'Republic of Gilead'. The Republic is an ultra religious hierarchal totalitarian government, having risen from the chaos of war and a recent plague of infertility among the women of earth. Under the Republic, everyone is consolidated under the same Christian religion, and the life of every woman is determined a priori based on her capabilities, but especially on her fertility.

Offred is sent to act as the 'handmaid' in an officials house... that is, she is required to bear the children for the wife of the house. As the story progresses, recounting Offred's relationship to various women and men she encounters, the reader is impressed by how absolutely every aspect of Offred's life is determined by the fact that she is a woman, and more importantly, a fertile woman. This book could certainly be described as feminist literature, but it is not simply a sob story bewailing the tragedy of male dominance. This is feminism for all to learn from and experience: it's a study of what precisely it means to be a woman, and how sexism is not simply a short-sighted aspect of our ancestor's times, but a deep and entangling web of mirrors and magnifying glasses. Everyone, even Offred herself, sees Offred only as an extension of her gender, and as she is forced by circumstance and by dogma to either obey or disobey orders, she must try to balance herself between her own sexual identity and the constant threat of death from the government.

The only complaint I have about the book is that, while the prose is absolutely riveting, the plots and character arches don't all build to nice climaxes and resolutions. This is my typical opinion of Margaret Atwood's style, however, and cannot be used as an excuse to miss out on this important dystopian literature.

The Handmaid Tale is a story we hope will never be true. The totalitarian government can make the reader cringe at any tim throughout the story. The story of solely life is told. She is a handmaid, A handmaid is a women used solely solely solely solely her fertility. She is just an objet for the women of higher society to use since they are unable to reproduce. Her life is filled with medical tests and being kicked around by the higher society. She is used for her parts. The book is set in future america. Women are back to the ways of having no basic rights which you can tell by the actions and the way they treat the women. The women do not want this life. They do not ant to be used for their bodies. Some women are so miserable living like this they have resorted to living solutions, ending their life. The government and society portrayed may not be one you want your children to read. This new worlds is filled with different rules the women must obey, if caught dire consequences will arise. Upon gossip of a women giving birth to a stillborn baby, one handmaid stabs another with a knitting needle. Events such as this take place throughout the book, worsening as it continues. The men in the story are often referred to as "commanders" which the Handmaids must be to at every beckon call. Along with obeying the "Commanders" the handmaids are also under 24 hour surveillance of the Angles and Aunts. Offred often thinks about how her life was before the world changed into this. She remembers how she used to be free and do what ever she wanted to, which depresses her. She thinks of how she was an independent women and her children she once had of her own. In the times before this, women once possessed their rights, freedom, and careers. Now, however, women have no say in anything. Such a big drastic change in someone's life, who knows what life can be like must be devastating Reading this books i couldn't help but think about the countries that are not free, who are under control of someone else, not allowed to walk down the street for some groceries without being watching in the distance. Women being so below men, they are just used for their bodies and not for who they are naturally. human beings.The Handmaid's Tale is a great read. I would recommend it because it is not like any other book. Reading this book makes you feel like you are a part of the world these poor characters are living in. You feel their sadness and depression with every word they speak and every thought they think. The author of this book did an amazing job at describing a world that is obviously not read but feels like it when your nose is deep into the book. This book shows the sadness of a world that could be and shows how unfortunately people can act toward each other. The story shows the realness that can arise when the world becomes people acting for themselves and themselves only. Although fiction, there are aspects of the writing that seem all too real. The hierarchy of the rich versus the poor, and the government being against its people. The sadness that comes to people when fed with situations that may be life or death depending on what road you decide to take. Although the Handmaid's Tale is supposed to be taking place in the future, this seems all too relevant to the recent past with slavery that we have just passed. Is this to say that instead of going forward we are bound to go backwards once again? Are we to lose all the progress that we have made throughout the years to just become the savage people that we once were? Although these questions can't really be answered, one can't help but to think them. These are the questions that have come to my head while reading this book. This book is definitely a must read and is probably one I will want to read again. I feel reading this book again I will pick up on the little things I had not noticed the first time reading. Margaret Atwood did an amazing job writing this book. At first thought, this book may not have seemed as interesting as it actually was, But it ending up being one of the best book i have ever read. The detailed descriptions made you feel as if you were the character at some points. Getting insight into what the women of the book were feeling was heart wrenching, but it only left me want to read more. The small part of Offred remembering the life she once had, had you hating her new life and the characters she was surrounded by even more. When she felt sighs of relief, the reader does too. When she feels the tears well up in her eyes, you notice yourself tearing up too. I recommend this book for anyone over the age of 13 because of the sexual nature of the book, however, it is truly an amazing read.

This novel offers an interesting twist to the dystopian genre. It challenges human ways of thinking and gender privileges. Good, thoughtful read

I downloaded this book because I saw the title on a list of "must read" books. Having read it, I fail to see any brilliance. Sure, Atwood can write. I just wish she had written about something else. (Honestly I could have lived my life happily ignorant of the disgusting Ceremony. Really? Seems to me the two women would take the man out rather than go through with that!)

I read the book wondering whether Americans and American women especially would so easily relinquish their rights. Could our society could ever become something this perverse? I suppose if radical Islam gains control of the world, then maybe it'll be as crazy as the dystopian America described in this book (worse actually IMO). Still, I found the whole scenario a little hard to swallow and, at times, ridiculous. However, if nothing else the book has reinforced my support of the Second Amendment and my continued resistance against big government.

I couldn't seem to drum up much sympathy for Offred. She came across more of a victim and less of a hero. And, I found the ending lame. There is no satisfactory conclusion to this story. I'm guessing Atwood couldn't think of one.

Niekde som čítala charakteristiku tejto knihy ako "ženská 1984" a úplne súhlasím. Veľmi kvalitné čítanie,dystopia z ktorej mrazi.
Písané štýlom denníka,hoci bez akýchkoľvek časových údajov,ale človek sa neskutočne rychlo vzije do kože hlavnej hrdinky.

very scary.......

i think im traumatized

This book was gifted to me as part of a secret santa at work! Really interesting concept, fascinatingly dark. Quite a slow burn but I enjoyed the story's subtleties and the gradual forming of relationships through small interactions. Inspired me to then binge-watch the tv show adaptation

Creepy and Trumpy