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mk194's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Misogyny, Sexual assault, Classism, Toxic relationship, Sexual content, Rape, and Sexism
Moderate: Vomit and Grief
Minor: Miscarriage, Confinement, Suicide, and Pregnancy
luziesofie'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? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Graphic: Rape, Misogyny, Murder, Suicidal thoughts, and Violence
Moderate: Miscarriage
Minor: Vomit
seapotatohowisitalrtaken's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Graphic: Infidelity, Violence, and Sexism
Moderate: Sexual content, Death, Infertility, Torture, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Abortion, Bullying, Classism, Physical abuse, Blood, Medical content, and Religious bigotry
Minor: Miscarriage, Rape, Vomit, and War
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
rushh's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
4.5
Graphic: Grief, Infidelity, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Sexual violence, Emotional abuse, Torture, Suicidal thoughts, Rape, Body horror, Classism, Colonisation, Infertility, Pregnancy, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Confinement, Sexual content, Violence, and War
Moderate: Suicide, Death, Miscarriage, Domestic abuse, Murder, Death of parent, and Panic attacks/disorders
Minor: Abortion, Blood, Drug use, Vomit, Cursing, and Alcohol
emfass'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? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Loved Claire Danes' narration, as well as the expanded materials at the end that Atwood wrote.
Graphic: Sexual violence, Confinement, Religious bigotry, Infidelity, Misogyny, Suicidal thoughts, Emotional abuse, Suicide, Forced institutionalization, Death, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Classism, Rape, Sexism, Pregnancy, Sexual assault, Violence, and Infertility
Moderate: Lesbophobia, Kidnapping, Grief, Torture, Deportation, Police brutality, Trafficking, Body horror, Sexual content, and Homophobia
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Death of parent, Vomit, Antisemitism, Gun violence, Medical content, and War
lorraine19's review against another edition
- 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? It's complicated
5.0
For this reason, I'd advise against reading if you are sensitive or have trauma that is easily triggered.
However, it does highlight some very relevant issues and is something I think many people should read. It will make you uncomfortable. You might have to put it down for a couple days to process it or take a breather. But it is worthwhile and will make you recognize small signs of sexism and discrimination. It shows how small things can escalate. It is also very heavy on religion and politics, but I view the main character as someone wanting to reclaim her religion from extremists - for this reason I do not believe it is anti-religious but anti-extremism.
I do wish they went more into some of the other characters impacted (which I believe she does in the sequel) but it also did a good job of explaining the world strictly from the main character's POV.
<SPOILER> The book only covers what is basically the first season of the show but the plot is also a bit different. This leaves it open ended as well. <SPOILER>
Graphic: Religious bigotry, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Islamophobia, Hate crime, Infertility, Abandonment, Acephobia/Arophobia, Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, Death, Grief, Homophobia, Infidelity, Murder, Pregnancy, Trafficking, Biphobia, Child abuse, Rape, Xenophobia, Transphobia, Domestic abuse, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racism, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Vomit, Pedophilia, Lesbophobia, Classism, Antisemitism, Confinement, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Genocide, Violence, War, Abortion, Sexual assault, Kidnapping, Mental illness, and Miscarriage
Ritualistic rape, religious extremism, political abuseesther_5'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? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Sexual assault, Murder, Sexual violence, Genocide, War, Rape, Medical trauma, Vomit, Torture, and Misogyny
reddeddy's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Graphic: Body shaming, Classism, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, Infertility, Infidelity, Medical content, Medical trauma, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Rape, Religious bigotry, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Violence
Moderate: Cursing, Death, Grief, Gun violence, Homophobia, Islamophobia, Kidnapping, Lesbophobia, Murder, Vomit, War, Xenophobia, Abandonment, Abortion, Antisemitism, Biphobia, and Bullying
Minor: Animal death, Blood, Cancer, Child death, Excrement, Police brutality, Racism, Torture, Trafficking, Alcohol, Fatphobia, Injury/Injury detail, Mass/school shootings, and Pedophilia
annoyedhumanoid's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
it's definitely white feminism, with racism in this religious-extremist totalitarian regime only mentioned once, in passing, at the very end. compared to another modern classic published just two years later, Beloved, it's kind of embarrassing.
cover design review: ★★★★☆. instant one-star deduction for having author's name larger than the title (sorry Margaret Atwood), and this is especially egregious; the title is relatively tiny. we all know minimalism has become excessive but i really like this one. the centering of the title is very satisfying, with approximately equal overhang of "HANDMAID'S" on either side of the dress. and the best part, get ready for your mind to be blown: see that dot in front of the Handmaid's head? it's the eye of a face in profile looking to the left hidden in the negative space. genius
Graphic: Religious bigotry, Sexism, Suicide, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Classism, Gun violence, Suicidal thoughts, Body horror, Trafficking, Violence, Domestic abuse, Death, Rape, Infidelity, Misogyny, Infertility, Murder, Sexual violence, and Torture
Moderate: Kidnapping, Miscarriage, Pregnancy, Lesbophobia, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Cursing, Mass/school shootings, Antisemitism, Homophobia, Injury/Injury detail, Alcohol, Animal death, Mental illness, Animal cruelty, Blood, Drug use, Child abuse, Death of parent, and Child death
Minor: Abortion, Medical content, Police brutality, Fire/Fire injury, Eating disorder, Excrement, Fatphobia, Gaslighting, Racism, War, Islamophobia, Physical abuse, Sexual harassment, Body shaming, and Vomit