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pokecol's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.5
It is hard to say much about this book as a story because I feel fundamentally there isn't one. A good deal of the design of the plot layout is to inform us and to educate us in this frame of reference so that we might interpret the smaller actions within the bounds of this set-up. This is very good at doing its intended job, making us uncomfortable, question and abhorred by such a possible interpretation of the future.
However, as a narrative, the amount of content could make perhaps 3 or 4 chapters maximum. All that is told occurs as: part of the collective, Moira vanishes, meet a man, eventually find a zone of comfort in the horror, find Moira again and "escape". But also not really, because some of the events aren't true at all, a lot of the story ends up having been a fantasy of the Main Character derived to display a measure of comfort compared to what she is known in the identity of telling the story herself.
I do think there is of course a lot of power in this whole way of telling The Handmaid's Tale, but it makes for an admittedly very dull experience besides the deeper reflective context of the book.
Fundamentally the divined idea of the society proposed is disgusting and the hyper subjugation tickles a sore-point for me in a way I do not enjoy. I feel there is required reading in the intent of the novel but it only explores so much through the idea of our Main Character and provides little in the expansive meaning or identity of these change beyond hierarchy. As a story the snippets we flashback to and compare the lives before and after, is excellent and made for compelling hope in drawing our Main Character out from this world eventually.
But the fact of the matter is we do not really have any progress to the story, at all, for the first entire two thirds of the book, and then the last third ends up not even necessarily being true. I do not fault the MC for her choices and attitude, considering the circumstances she is very much doing better than one might expect - yet as having just finished it, I do not at all recall her name.
The fact that some points of reference are used to describe the horrific nature of the set-up but we skip over the "really bad" parts near the end seems to be a really weird choice. I have no interest in abuse topics at the best of times but I have to say that it seems a backwards idea to avoid that harshest dichotomy to near the conclusion in the failure to escape - even if it is to help frame the whole scenario as a more positive outcome.
Unlike other deeply dystopian outlooks on modernity, I do not feel I got so much a good a grasp on things that allowed me to live the experiences, or understand character perspective. I feel a little trite in critiquing The Handmaid's Tale for solely it's story content, because there is more message to it than that, however, such a message can be conveyed by many means and Margaret Atwood chose for it to be a fiction novel - and in many respects the fiction novel part is where it fails the most in my reading experience.
I do think though, the world is revoltingly plausible, and in many ways these smaller accumulating elements are no stranger to a 21st century world already. In predictive, and cautionary, writings such as this I think The Handmaid's Tale does do its job providing the subject matter to a reader.
Graphic: Misogyny and Forced institutionalization
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Sexual content, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Minor: Body shaming, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Drug use, Infertility, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Rape, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Violence, Police brutality, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Pregnancy, Lesbophobia, and Colonisation
harmeeperhan'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? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Infertility, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Violence, Kidnapping, Grief, Murder, Pregnancy, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
morganthecarrot's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
5.0
Graphic: Death, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Violence, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, and Religious bigotry
Moderate: Infidelity, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Infertility, Racism, Sexual content, Torture, Pregnancy, and War
ieotter13's review against another edition
- 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
4.25
Graphic: Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Infertility, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Toxic relationship, Antisemitism, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Religious bigotry, Abortion, Suicide attempt, Pregnancy, Sexual harassment, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
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: Death, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Religious bigotry, Murder, Pregnancy, and Gaslighting
Moderate: Cursing, Infertility, Miscarriage, Rape, Suicide, Violence, Kidnapping, Abortion, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Animal death and Alcohol
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: Child abuse, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Infertility, Infidelity, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Excrement, Vomit, Police brutality, Medical content, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Suicide attempt, Murder, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, War, and Injury/Injury detail
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: Misogyny, Sexism, and Sexual content
Moderate: Death, Suicide, Pregnancy, and Injury/Injury detail
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: Ableism, Deadnaming, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Hate crime, Homophobia, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Murder, Cultural appropriation, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Colonisation, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Bullying, Confinement, Infidelity, Kidnapping, Lesbophobia, and Classism
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: Death, Emotional abuse, Infertility, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Forced institutionalization, Trafficking, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Abortion, Murder, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Sexual harassment, and Classism
Moderate: Ableism, Adult/minor relationship, Violence, Blood, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
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: Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Homophobia, Infertility, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Transphobia, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Islamophobia, Medical content, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Murder, Pregnancy, Lesbophobia, Gaslighting, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Miscarriage, Antisemitism, and Islamophobia
Minor: Animal death and War