The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood

The Handmaid's Tale

The Handmaid's Tale #1

Margaret Atwood

315 pages • first pub 1985 (editions)

fiction dystopian literary dark reflective tense medium-paced

Description

This look at the near future presents the story of Offred, a Handmaid in the Republic of Gilead, once the United States, an oppressive world where women are no longer allowed to read and are valued only as long as they are viable for reproduction.

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Community Reviews Summary of 128,285 reviews

Moods

dark 90%
tense 61%
reflective 51%
challenging 42%
emotional 42%
sad 41%
mysterious 24%
adventurous 7%
informative 5%
hopeful 3%
inspiring 3%
funny 1%

Pace

medium 58%
slow 32%
fast 9%

Plot- or character-driven?

A mix: 45% | Character: 39% | Plot: 15%

Strong character development?

Yes: 38% | It's complicated: 37% | No: 22% | N/A: 1%

Loveable characters?

It's complicated: 50% | No: 28% | Yes: 20% | N/A: 1%

Diverse cast of characters?

No: 60% | It's complicated: 16% | Yes: 16% | N/A: 5%

Flaws of characters a main focus?

No: 37% | Yes: 31% | It's complicated: 28% | N/A: 2%

Average rating

4.16

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Content Warnings

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