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anxiousartsyself's review against another edition
5.0
This novel is captivating and kept me engrossed the whole way through. It incorporates so many things that make you believe they could really happen which makes it scary. It’s also interesting that you never learn the name of the main character, which gives a lot of speculation. The ending leaves you wanting more and I’m very excited to read the next book. It is one of the best dystopian novels I’ve read. If you have ever seen any of the tv series black mirror, it reminds me a lot of that, though I know this novel predates that. Overall, I rate this a five out of five, must read.
fmansoor's review against another edition
4.0
خیلی قشنگ بود در کل، ولی من تا فصل یکی مونده به آخر یه برداشت دیگه از هدف کتاب داشتم و فکر میکنم برداشت من بهتر بود 😂
mcphr's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
slow-paced
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
3.5
kate_k554's review against another edition
4.0
This was a tale that takes place in the country of Gilead, though that wasn't what it had always been called. The country had started out as a democracy, but over time many in power had turned to extreme religion, turning the country into a theocracy where women had no rights, their possessions were taken from them and turned over to male relatives, they were no longer allowed to hold any job outside the home, and many other changes began to take place as well. It started out as a slow decline that many didn’t see coming in the beginning, but soon spiraled out of control as the religious extremists took control.
In the end, women who were capable of bearing children were forced to become surrogates & bear children for those who could not get pregnant to raise as their own. Little choice was given to these women, and the other options should they continue to refuse were far worse.
I decided to read this book because of the many parallels between this fictional story and much of what is happening in the real world today. It is a story that seems as if it should be impossible, but there are many women who have just been stripped of some of their rights by those in power, and there is a clear path from that to many other rights being stripped away as well in the name of religion. For a fictional story, the parallels between what happened in this book and the world today are uncomfortably real and painfully clear.
I believe that this is a book that should be read at least once in your life, especially now, though I'm sure many will not agree. Beyond that, I will only say that I found this to be a very powerful cautionary tale of what can potentially happen even in a world where so many are still fighting to hold on their rights and to improve their lives and the lives of others. It may be a fictional tale, but I could see it could very easily become reality under the right circumstances.
In the end, women who were capable of bearing children were forced to become surrogates & bear children for those who could not get pregnant to raise as their own. Little choice was given to these women, and the other options should they continue to refuse were far worse.
I decided to read this book because of the many parallels between this fictional story and much of what is happening in the real world today. It is a story that seems as if it should be impossible, but there are many women who have just been stripped of some of their rights by those in power, and there is a clear path from that to many other rights being stripped away as well in the name of religion. For a fictional story, the parallels between what happened in this book and the world today are uncomfortably real and painfully clear.
I believe that this is a book that should be read at least once in your life, especially now, though I'm sure many will not agree. Beyond that, I will only say that I found this to be a very powerful cautionary tale of what can potentially happen even in a world where so many are still fighting to hold on their rights and to improve their lives and the lives of others. It may be a fictional tale, but I could see it could very easily become reality under the right circumstances.
laurellee's review against another edition
5.0
This was my first time reading this book, but not my first time reading Atwood. I love her writing style it’s beautiful but not difficult, with just the slightest tinge of sarcastic wit.
I honestly think there isn’t anything I can say about this book that hasn’t already been said. It’s brutal, brilliant, and thought-provoking. I think this book should be required reading.
I wondered if I would want to read The Testaments upon finishing it, and now that I’ve finished I can say I definitely will! :)
I honestly think there isn’t anything I can say about this book that hasn’t already been said. It’s brutal, brilliant, and thought-provoking. I think this book should be required reading.
I wondered if I would want to read The Testaments upon finishing it, and now that I’ve finished I can say I definitely will! :)
shannon1954's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
grimintuition's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.25
thegracefulpal's review against another edition
challenging
dark
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
tori_tbr's review against another edition
5.0
I rushed to read this ahead of the release of the series on Hulu. The original is very much rooted in the 80s but older readers or readers from economically depressed areas should still be able to get the mood very well. The description of old gyms as re-education centers stuck with me because my middle and high school gyms were very similar.
The representation of internalized misogyny in Serena Joy as a former televangelist who literally promoted the subjugation of all women into servile roles and losing status and dignity that she herself enshrined only in the ability to be fertile because she was getting older was also an excellent and compelling difference in the source material.
The trope of the bitter former actress/performer being petty and jealous and manipulative to younger women is very recognizable already but putting a dystopian spin on it was just chilling. Atwood is an amazing writer who conveys the tension between women of different statuses masterfully.
This book would have changed my life if I read it five years earlier-before being exposed to Critical Theory, but since I am already "drinking the kool aid" I just got lost in the story while coming across the thoughtful and suspenseful commentary as a sort of easter egg. Admittedly if you don't care about feminism or women's rights, you might not enjoy this book.
The representation of internalized misogyny in Serena Joy as a former televangelist who literally promoted the subjugation of all women into servile roles and losing status and dignity that she herself enshrined only in the ability to be fertile because she was getting older was also an excellent and compelling difference in the source material.
The trope of the bitter former actress/performer being petty and jealous and manipulative to younger women is very recognizable already but putting a dystopian spin on it was just chilling. Atwood is an amazing writer who conveys the tension between women of different statuses masterfully.
This book would have changed my life if I read it five years earlier-before being exposed to Critical Theory, but since I am already "drinking the kool aid" I just got lost in the story while coming across the thoughtful and suspenseful commentary as a sort of easter egg. Admittedly if you don't care about feminism or women's rights, you might not enjoy this book.