The Handmaid's Tale

It is insane that this book was written in 1985.

I feel this novel was building up in plot and intensity and then ultimate fell extremely flat. What exactly did I read? It felt like there was nowhere for the plot to go and just kind of ended? I guess that was a cliffhanger, but I don’t feel as though I care to know what happens. The main character was so unlike-able in my opinion, that I don’t care for them or seeing what happens next. The book consisted of some many descriptions of things and not much else. The overall world is so interesting but I don’t think the plot of the protagonist lived up to the intricate and interesting world Atwood created.

The books is well-written...I just didn't care much for it. Maybe the whole scenario was just too depressing for me.

I found this book mostly fascinating and terrifying. With our current political and religious culture this could be a possible future.

I loved the prose and Claire Danes was perfect as narrator. I would absolutely read it again. Maybe with my eyes next time.

I did have to take a short break because it was so heavy emotionally. That's not to say there's much in the way of emotional writing because the narrator, Offred, is not emotive in her telling. She's sharing her story in a direct way. Well, direct in that she's giving facts and reasons behind her decisions. There are a few places where she gives her more personal feelings but she tries to keep it to a minimum. I think this forced me to experience my own emotions rather than feed off of hers.

I'm glad I finally read it.

Writing a review of this in 2025 feels a little too much on the nose. Hopefully, Atwood’s warnings of a world that could be so not become the world that we are. I really don’t want last names to all start with “Of” - that’s just weird.