SO SO GOOD. Loved it.

Travel out of Your Comfort Zone


The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood (dystopian fiction novel: 1985) is definitely one of the scariest, but most captivating books I have ever picked up. Once you are introduced to Offred (a handmaid in the community who’s sole purpose is to reproduce), you surely will want to know how she will progress mentally and if she will survive all her hardships. Atwood sucked me in with her vivid descriptions and use of figurative language to throughly paint the picture of a dystopian society. There are lots of different dimensions to this story and it is very thought provoking. I often tried to put myself in the character’s shoes, which was very easy to do with the immense detail provided. I even felt a personal connection to the main character as she went through a mental journey, holding on to her past life. The topics in this novel, such as feminism, are still relevant today and are important to discuss. I really would recommend this book to readers who are trying to get away from simple skimming or pleasure reading, and who wish to expand their mental horizons and travel to a new world.

Wowsers fab brill but there should be more.

I used to love distopian novels, but I read too many that were quite the same. This novel, however, surpassed and took a different look at a distopian world, and I enjoyed it. If it weren't so long, I'd love to teach it.

Describes a detailed scenery of a civilization in the future. Well written, but not much happens in this book. Expected a more thrilling story.

I came to actually read this book in 2020 - later than most, so I kinda think it has been a victim of its own success, since I already vaguely knew about the dystopian theocratic culture it presents. And since the book is almost entirely the slow reveal of that dystopian culture, I was underwhelmed. But given that a decent percentage of Americans appear to see this imaginary future as utopian, it’s probably an important book to have read and thought about.

Totally forgot to update that I finished this a few weeks after I started but this book is what our future is beginning to look like. It’s a pretty morbid thought but sadly realistic.

A cautionary tale to be sure.

I didn't have the patience to listen beyond the first 2 chapters.

One of my top five!

It's a very well written book for sure - masterpiece of technique. But beyond that I failed to see novelty or even imagination;

The so-called dystopian future of America is really just a repackaged 17-18th century America - combined with elements of Communism and more recent Islamic Radicalism that has swept several nations.

This book just brings the worst of all of these together and paints it as a future for America and I don't know if that alone is what has made this book such a cult classic but I was really disappointed by sheer lack of originality.

To give some examples as case in point:

1) wealthy few government/military heads commanding best of everything including women, controlling most of the wealth, resources and the rest of the poor population; 2) women have no rights and are only seen to be good for marriage, bearing children and housekeeping; it's is the Man's rights to command his wife to do his bidding sexually or otherwise
3) underground "brothels" where no respectable man or woman would ever acknowledge going; and those women have no rights whatsoever but take pride in their freedom to wear what they choose and drink and socialise with men; and other "respectable" women look at them with a mix of scorn and jealousy
4) totally authoritarian regime that bans private religion
5) even the clothes women wear - white for virgins, long flowing skirts for women that cover their wrists and ankles with white "bonnet" type caps

All of it is a straight lift from already existing practices - in fundamentalist /communist nations and in the American history itself.

Very disappointed.

just perfect. Easy to read and identify with Atwood's made - up "new world" that has too many scary but believable predictions and signs that remind of nowadays.