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garciaga's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
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? It's complicated
4.75
imakandiway's review
dark
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
ckeithjohnson's review against another edition
1.0
This is a page turner. I got frustrated with it in the middle as it seemed less than believable, but there is some great work in the last few chapters. I would say it is a great example of dystopian fiction if you can power through some of the more unbelievable parts. I am something of a sucker for the theme of humanity getting some small victory in the face of tyranny though, and this achieves something of that without becoming maudlin or saccharine.
kbrantmeier24's review against another edition
5.0
Incredible, but also terrifying. This novel was written so beautifully by Margaret Atwood. The musings Offred has about her past and present are poetic, introspective, and vulnerable. She explains the horrors of her reality without the vulgar details of every situation, which I really appreciated. Would be super interesting to discuss all of the sociopolitical themes in a book club or college classroom setting!
sara_fangirl98's review against another edition
dark
reflective
tense
medium-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
3.0
manadabomb's review against another edition
4.0
I've always been more of a fan of dystopian vs utopian, probably because I'm a little on the pessimistic side. I remember reading this book either in my senior year of high school or my first year of college. Either way, I was young enough to be horrified at the picture it painted.
Reading this book also accomplished one of my goals this year as well: Two books need to be re-reads (The Stand is the other re-read).
So let's delve into Atwood's picture:
In the Republic of Gilead, Offred is a Handmaid. She lives, now, in a world where women are no longer allowed to read, where they are used for breeding only, if they have viable ovaries. Before this world, Offred (not her true name) had a husband, a job, a child. She had a life. The Congress and the President were slaughtered, the Constitution was suspended and women suddenly lost all of their rights everywhere. Childbirth had been on a decline so children are a valuable commodity. Offred's child is stolen and given to a high-ranking couple. Her husband is killed or captured and Offred is forced to become a Handmaid.
Each Handmaid takes a new name with each house they are forced to live in. Fred is the Commander who she is given to so she becomes Offred. Each month, there is a Ceremony where the Commander tries to impregnate Offred. If she fails to become pregnant, she is moved to another house, gets a new name and starts the same process over.
This world is horrifying. The novel is told by Offred and the manuscript was found without any resolution. We have no idea how it ended and whether she is safe. I recall taking a long time to read this book the first time and this time was no exception. The world we are asked to enter is a terrible one that makes me incredibly angry - so kudos to Atwood for igniting emotions!
This book is on the 1,001 Books To Read Before You Die list and I fully encourage you to read it.
In the meantime,
“Nolite te bastardes carborundorum.”
Reading this book also accomplished one of my goals this year as well: Two books need to be re-reads (The Stand is the other re-read).
So let's delve into Atwood's picture:
In the Republic of Gilead, Offred is a Handmaid. She lives, now, in a world where women are no longer allowed to read, where they are used for breeding only, if they have viable ovaries. Before this world, Offred (not her true name) had a husband, a job, a child. She had a life. The Congress and the President were slaughtered, the Constitution was suspended and women suddenly lost all of their rights everywhere. Childbirth had been on a decline so children are a valuable commodity. Offred's child is stolen and given to a high-ranking couple. Her husband is killed or captured and Offred is forced to become a Handmaid.
Each Handmaid takes a new name with each house they are forced to live in. Fred is the Commander who she is given to so she becomes Offred. Each month, there is a Ceremony where the Commander tries to impregnate Offred. If she fails to become pregnant, she is moved to another house, gets a new name and starts the same process over.
This world is horrifying. The novel is told by Offred and the manuscript was found without any resolution. We have no idea how it ended and whether she is safe. I recall taking a long time to read this book the first time and this time was no exception. The world we are asked to enter is a terrible one that makes me incredibly angry - so kudos to Atwood for igniting emotions!
This book is on the 1,001 Books To Read Before You Die list and I fully encourage you to read it.
In the meantime,
“Nolite te bastardes carborundorum.”
urm0m420's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
5.0
blicksam's review against another edition
5.0
I couldn't stop picturing Paul Ryan as the Commander, and that upset me. Deeply. It almost made me knock my review down to four stars, but then I remembered that it isn't Margaret Atwood's fault that the Speaker of the House is a prick.
marusinp's review against another edition
3.0
+ Realistic dystopia when it comes to physical world of Gilead. No futuristic weapons, aliens, natural disasters, mutants, etc. None of that baloney, thank GOD!
+ Questions asked and problems described by Atwood are crucial. Book can greatly serve as a starting point for such a discussion regardless of your gender, religious belief or current year.
+ Masochistic (that itch was scratched well).
- Narrative style is really incoherent ( anyone else? just me?). It's a pity because the story had a huge potential.
- I wish I've read this earlier before TV series was a thing (didn't watch it though). Maybe my expectations were too high because of all the hype. I tend to avoid such a hot novels. Now I remembered why.
I feel as I should give this another try later on.
+ Questions asked and problems described by Atwood are crucial. Book can greatly serve as a starting point for such a discussion regardless of your gender, religious belief or current year.
+ Masochistic (that itch was scratched well).
- Narrative style is really incoherent ( anyone else? just me?). It's a pity because the story had a huge potential.
- I wish I've read this earlier before TV series was a thing (didn't watch it though). Maybe my expectations were too high because of all the hype. I tend to avoid such a hot novels. Now I remembered why.
I feel as I should give this another try later on.
moniounik's review
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25