BOOK OF THE MONTH
The Handmaid's Tale
With terrifying understatement, this novel narrates the life of a college-educated mother ripped from her career and family to be a slave, in a dystopian United States too plausible to be forgotten. Forbidden by a fanatical government to read, choose their own clothes or appear in public alone, handmaids fulfill an awful purpose as the servants of wealthy families. All the while, however, strange new friendships emerge between the powerless and the powerful, as revolution glimmers on the horizon.
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Community Reviews
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 book shows how quickly and quietly a government can take away people’s freedom when power goes unchecked. I give it a 10 because the writing is powerful, the story feels believable, and it really makes you think. Even though it’s dark and unsettling, it’s an important and meaningful read. It also reminds us that even in the worst situations, people can still hold on to hope and resist.
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