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mariatalves's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
phoebebird's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
jol69's review against another edition
3.0
Undecided on how I want to rate this book. I need to think on it.
gmariecosta's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Brilliant
linari's review against another edition
2.0
So let me just start with, I watched the show before I read the book.
The show is absolutely incredible, and shows what life could be for women in a dystopian future. I decided to read the book after watching the show.
Unfortunately, I did not like the book nearly as much as I like the show. I think that I had some unrealistic expectations about the book because of the show. I picked up the book thinking that it would answer some of the questions I had during the show. Maybe give more details into the econo wives and their families, what roles they played in the society and such.
What I found was the book actually has a lot less detail than the show does. The literature felt...empty in a sense. Almost like I was just waiting for more. I felt this way throughout the book and it took a little longer for me to finish it just because it was a bit...boring.
If it wasn’t for the show I wouldn’t have picked the book up. If you’re watching the show and looking for answers, the book won’t give you any. The writing is a bit messy and the punctuation is non-existent for a lot of it.
The show is absolutely incredible, and shows what life could be for women in a dystopian future. I decided to read the book after watching the show.
Unfortunately, I did not like the book nearly as much as I like the show. I think that I had some unrealistic expectations about the book because of the show. I picked up the book thinking that it would answer some of the questions I had during the show. Maybe give more details into the econo wives and their families, what roles they played in the society and such.
What I found was the book actually has a lot less detail than the show does. The literature felt...empty in a sense. Almost like I was just waiting for more. I felt this way throughout the book and it took a little longer for me to finish it just because it was a bit...boring.
If it wasn’t for the show I wouldn’t have picked the book up. If you’re watching the show and looking for answers, the book won’t give you any. The writing is a bit messy and the punctuation is non-existent for a lot of it.
crystalstarrlight's review against another edition
4.0
"In the days of anarchy, it was freedom to. Now you are being given freedom from. Don’t underrate it."
The world of the near-future has changed. Women are no longer free, independent thinkers; now, they are segregated into tasks. Wives, Marthas, Handmaids, Econowives. This is the world, Offred, a Handmaid, now lives in. This is the world she must survive.
This is an amazing book. With all these dystopian novels rushing to print, with more thought to romantic pairings than to the actual dystopian society they live in, it's refreshing to read something like "The Handmaid's Tale", a tale that wonderfully, yet scarily, dictates a future in which women's liberties are virtually gone.
We see this scary world through Offred's eyes. Once upon a time, she was married, had a child, but that is all gone. What keeps her going is the memories of the time before: the time where she fell in love with a man, where she had friends, such as Moira, where she had a job and an education and a life of her own. I enjoyed learning about her past, how she got to be a Handmaid, how she survived the day-to-day ritual. Offred is a strong woman, more than all these nearly masculine "action girls" we see so much these days. She has a strength of character, a strength of heart that carries her through this novel, that keeps her alive.
The world that Atwood paints is, unlike many dystopian novels (the one I'm thinking of is Divergent), startlingly convincing. I could believe that religious zealots could take over, that they would try to solve the population problems by resorting to the Old Testament stories. I could believe the divisions in women's roles, their freedoms being stripped away. I could believe the drastic measures against those that defied the rules. Atwood has done an amazing job of finding what is most important, what makes a society work and has brought that forth in a changed view. And her creation is most terrifying. It could easily be me in Offred's shoes. It could be me that suddenly has no job, that suddenly has to rely on men for money, that suddenly is torn away from my family and friends, that suddenly is trained and indoctrinated into being nothing more than a body to get pregnant.
If I have any faults with this book, it's the speed with which this society has taken root. I understand that it is still in rebellion with the surrounding areas, but I still thought it strange that almost overnight the government is in the Religious Reformists' hands. I know these things can come quickly, but still, I felt it almost weird.
The other fault I do have is I found the story somewhat hard to follow, since Offred slips between present and past quite fluidly. I listened to this on audiobook and had to constantly backtrack to figure out where I was. Oh, and the narrator, with her rising pitch at the end of nearly every sentence (even when it isn't a question), was annoying. I am still not sure what she was trying to do with that.
This is one of those books you should read before you die, even if you aren't a science fiction/dystopia/speculative fiction fan. This book gives insights into our society today, shines a light on what is important, and warns of what could come in the future.
Nolite te bastardes carborundorum
The world of the near-future has changed. Women are no longer free, independent thinkers; now, they are segregated into tasks. Wives, Marthas, Handmaids, Econowives. This is the world, Offred, a Handmaid, now lives in. This is the world she must survive.
This is an amazing book. With all these dystopian novels rushing to print, with more thought to romantic pairings than to the actual dystopian society they live in, it's refreshing to read something like "The Handmaid's Tale", a tale that wonderfully, yet scarily, dictates a future in which women's liberties are virtually gone.
We see this scary world through Offred's eyes. Once upon a time, she was married, had a child, but that is all gone. What keeps her going is the memories of the time before: the time where she fell in love with a man, where she had friends, such as Moira, where she had a job and an education and a life of her own. I enjoyed learning about her past, how she got to be a Handmaid, how she survived the day-to-day ritual. Offred is a strong woman, more than all these nearly masculine "action girls" we see so much these days. She has a strength of character, a strength of heart that carries her through this novel, that keeps her alive.
The world that Atwood paints is, unlike many dystopian novels (the one I'm thinking of is Divergent), startlingly convincing. I could believe that religious zealots could take over, that they would try to solve the population problems by resorting to the Old Testament stories. I could believe the divisions in women's roles, their freedoms being stripped away. I could believe the drastic measures against those that defied the rules. Atwood has done an amazing job of finding what is most important, what makes a society work and has brought that forth in a changed view. And her creation is most terrifying. It could easily be me in Offred's shoes. It could be me that suddenly has no job, that suddenly has to rely on men for money, that suddenly is torn away from my family and friends, that suddenly is trained and indoctrinated into being nothing more than a body to get pregnant.
If I have any faults with this book, it's the speed with which this society has taken root. I understand that it is still in rebellion with the surrounding areas, but I still thought it strange that almost overnight the government is in the Religious Reformists' hands. I know these things can come quickly, but still, I felt it almost weird.
The other fault I do have is I found the story somewhat hard to follow, since Offred slips between present and past quite fluidly. I listened to this on audiobook and had to constantly backtrack to figure out where I was. Oh, and the narrator, with her rising pitch at the end of nearly every sentence (even when it isn't a question), was annoying. I am still not sure what she was trying to do with that.
This is one of those books you should read before you die, even if you aren't a science fiction/dystopia/speculative fiction fan. This book gives insights into our society today, shines a light on what is important, and warns of what could come in the future.
Nolite te bastardes carborundorum
jayseewhy's review against another edition
4.0
The Handmaid’s Tale was both enjoyable and confronting. The storytelling feels genuine and unique.
To say that the world described here is a possible outcome of our own society would betray an unrealistically pessimistic view of modern humanity. Having said that, many of the themes discussed are important and relevant, easily up there with the writing of Orwell and Huxley.
To say that the world described here is a possible outcome of our own society would betray an unrealistically pessimistic view of modern humanity. Having said that, many of the themes discussed are important and relevant, easily up there with the writing of Orwell and Huxley.
lucashearn1's review against another edition
challenging
dark
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Lowkey kind of a bummer. I mean it’s written well and it’s an interesting take on some sort of alternative history, but kind of a drag. Those poor women. Wasn’t a huge fan of the historical notes part at the end.
britlaccetti's review against another edition
5.0
I hope our government never reads this book because I am sure 90% of them would love this idea of having women controlled by a male society.
Makes you think about how scary society could get.
Honestly, the only thing that bothered me was that Atwood didn't use quotations for dialogue that occurred in the past. I believe there are a couple of reasons that she does this, so it made sense at the end of the novel - but reading it at the time I was thinking, "why is this written like this? It's driving me crazy!"
I can't wait to read more of Atwood's work.
Makes you think about how scary society could get.
Honestly, the only thing that bothered me was that Atwood didn't use quotations for dialogue that occurred in the past. I believe there are a couple of reasons that she does this, so it made sense at the end of the novel - but reading it at the time I was thinking, "why is this written like this? It's driving me crazy!"
I can't wait to read more of Atwood's work.