alexandrabelze's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual content, Murder, Pregnancy, Grief, Infidelity, Death, Emotional abuse, and Religious bigotry
Moderate: Infertility, Rape, Suicide, Miscarriage, Abortion, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Cursing, and Violence
Minor: Alcohol and Animal death
lexib13's review against another edition
- 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? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Torture, Violence, Grief, Miscarriage, Sexual violence, Death, Domestic abuse, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, Medical content, Rape, Sexism, Sexual content, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Cursing, Gore, Gun violence, Misogyny, Police brutality, Pregnancy, Murder, Physical abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Child abuse, Drug use, Suicidal thoughts, Confinement, Excrement, Infertility, Kidnapping, Mental illness, War, Trafficking, and Vomit
dannilmp's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.75
One thing I can heavily praise about The Handmaid's Tale is the way in which language is used to truly convey Offred's emotions, thought patterns, hopes and despairs. I felt I could really connect to these emotions and could feel how they affected the character. Additionally the fact the book lingered with me if I put it down to give myself time to think and contemplate on what I was reading made the book feel so much more engaging than just reading a story.
Consequently, while Offred felt sometimes as quite a flat character, I understand that this really helped delve into the mindset of these women and the world they are in, it does make some sections feel more like a chore to read when something interesting isn't going on. The fact the content of the novel is so sad and the idea that something like this is not outside the realm of possibility even for our world can make this a depressing read.
I would recommend this to anyone looking for a novel to make you think, anyone interested in women's rights (or I suppose the lack of rights and inequality for women) but be prepared to feel some negative emotions during your reading journey.
Graphic: Sexual content, Misogyny, and Sexism
Moderate: Suicide, Death, Injury/Injury detail, and Pregnancy
Minor: Child death
lakea's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
Graphic: Racism, Rape, Toxic friendship, Torture, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Hate crime, Homophobia, Gaslighting, Colonisation, Cultural appropriation, Deadnaming, Ableism, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Misogyny, Kidnapping, Injury/Injury detail, Grief, Genocide, Emotional abuse, Domestic abuse, Death, Abandonment, Self harm, Racial slurs, Panic attacks/disorders, Murder, and Medical content
Moderate: Classism, Infidelity, Confinement, Bullying, Kidnapping, and Lesbophobia
Minor: Animal cruelty and Animal death
vedpears's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
I checked this out from the public library, but this may be a book that I have to purchase for my own personal library. There are warnings in here that should be heeded.
Graphic: Trafficking, Abortion, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Death, Emotional abuse, Murder, Pregnancy, Self harm, Sexual content, Medical trauma, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Torture, Infertility, Infidelity, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Classism, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, Rape, Sexism, and Religious bigotry
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Injury/Injury detail, Alcohol, Violence, Ableism, and Blood
directorpurry's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Graphic: Hate crime, Kidnapping, Physical abuse, Trafficking, Transphobia, Violence, Death, Emotional abuse, Domestic abuse, Islamophobia, Misogyny, Murder, Pregnancy, Racism, Rape, Religious bigotry, Sexual assault, Gaslighting, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Confinement, Homophobia, Injury/Injury detail, Lesbophobia, Medical content, Medical trauma, Sexual harassment, Torture, Forced institutionalization, and Infertility
Moderate: Islamophobia, Miscarriage, and Antisemitism
Minor: War and Animal death
eatwritereadrepeat's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
Graphic: Sexism, Sexual content, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, and Sexual assault
Moderate: Mental illness, Rape, Suicide, Grief, Pregnancy, Hate crime, Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, Religious bigotry, and Infertility
Minor: Abortion, Miscarriage, Mental illness, and Bullying
sixxed's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Homophobia, Injury/Injury detail, and Murder
sophk8's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Graphic: Violence, Pregnancy, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Death, Misogyny, Murder, and Confinement
Moderate: Blood, Classism, Infertility, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Miscarriage, and Abortion
Minor: Miscarriage
james1star's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
My favourite theme within the Handmaid’s Tale is how Offred is shown to bring up this separation of the mind and the body. She does this in a society where women are defined and characterised by their bodily attributes and abilities and so she takes ownership of her own mentality and in doing so showcases her rebellion. This spirit and drive does wither and her internal monologue is characterised by disjointedness expressing the impact that her circumstances has had on her. Her flashbacks to the past and telling of her story is mixed but you are very hooked on it and Offred is portrayed as a very real person.
Unlike some I actually really liked the ending because it is super ambiguous where she enters ‘into the darkness within; or else the light’ so we will never know what happened to her. There is a sense of hope but also tragedy. However the main point Atwood puts forward is unknowing and this is reinforced by the historical notes where they’re questioning the accuracy and credibility of her account by historians of the future at a convention on Giledean studies. Despite teetering on her Tale being true, I mainly got a sense of distrust and ‘brushing off’ of the events which Offred so courageously shared. Towards the end of her account she is shown to be in psychology pain thinking about what she’s endured, it’s hard for her to tell these things and she wants to get them right but undoubtedly it’s hard because of the traumatic nature of the circumstances. And for historians (academic professionals who specialise in the subject and we trust to interpret it) to in a way belittle her efforts is such an injustice. But true, we’ve done that to past accounts of people in horrific situations, further emphasising a need to not repeat the past.
I do want to mention I did watch the show long before reading the book (only got into reading the past 5 months) and I do enjoy it so I did have my own opinions and idea of the storyline. However, I definitely enjoyed the book way more and I imagined and realised Offred more vividly in my head then seeing her physically real. Also I love how in the book we know Offred knows her name, but she has power in withholding it from us and her being the property ‘of’ the commander ‘Fred’ we’re constantly reminded she is property, her value is merely in her bodily functions for Fred and his household (yes she does pose mental stimulation in the book but under the Gileadan regime, as a Handmaid that is her function) and the show outright giving her a name in a way diminishes the significance of Atwood not revealing her name in the book. A thought.
To conclude I did really enjoy this novel, I initially was listening to as an audiobook but this was removed from YouTube so got the book and actually much more enjoyed reading it myself, it took me a long time to get through it and I think that’s because of the method in which I took it in. It is hard to read in parts but is okay exceptionally well written and really hooks you in. Bring on The Testaments.
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Misogyny, Murder, Physical abuse, Religious bigotry, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Sexism, Sexual assault, and Violence
Moderate: Infertility, Suicide, Genocide, Rape, Sexual violence, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Police brutality, Pregnancy, Abortion, Classism, Grief, Suicidal thoughts, Trafficking, and War