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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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Published Mar 16, 1998

311 pages

Average rating: 7.72

1,479 RATINGS

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Community Reviews

LVoskan
May 02, 2025
8/10 stars
It is insane that this book was written in 1985.
taylore333
May 21, 2024
5/10 stars
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.
njlbo1
Jul 18, 2023
4/10 stars
The books is well-written...I just didn't care much for it. Maybe the whole scenario was just too depressing for me.
Swagg_daddyyy
Jul 21, 2025
7/10 stars
Kept me anxious for the most part. Very descriptive as well, very realistic in the way she describes Offred’s train of thought
VicMor
Jul 12, 2025
7/10 stars
Handmaids Tale Ratings: Olga: 1, Boring Mikaela: 4, little slow but loved author Amanda: 4, Enjoyable Enely: 4, Enjoyable Mayela: 4, little slow Ashley: 5, thought provoking, important messaging, relatable Victoria: 3.5

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