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A review by staceyinthesticks
The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood
challenging
dark
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
So, I don't really read dystopian but I've been meaning to read this for a long time after hearing people raving about the tv show (you may have guessed I like to read the book first!).
It took me a while to get into as a couple of things bothered me - the overuse of commas and the lack of speech marks for certain bits of dialogue - but after a while I started to get used to it.
I neither loved nor disliked the story and writing - it was kind of average I guess. I would have liked some more insight into how the situation of Gilead came about, as it seemed like it happened practically overnight and was hard to imagine.
Again, the characters were neither here nor there - I think the one I liked most was Moira, from the snippets we heard of her! I was also left wondering what Offred's real name was, as we were told pretty much everyone else's.
The ending was a bit abrupt and I was left thinking, "Oh is that it?". But I'm hoping the TV show, and perhaps The Testaments (which I'll get around to reading st some point!) will tell us what actually happened after.
Overall, an okay story which is now marked off my list of books I should definitely read in my lifetime.
3.5*
It took me a while to get into as a couple of things bothered me - the overuse of commas and the lack of speech marks for certain bits of dialogue - but after a while I started to get used to it.
I neither loved nor disliked the story and writing - it was kind of average I guess. I would have liked some more insight into how the situation of Gilead came about, as it seemed like it happened practically overnight and was hard to imagine.
Again, the characters were neither here nor there - I think the one I liked most was Moira, from the snippets we heard of her! I was also left wondering what Offred's real name was, as we were told pretty much everyone else's.
The ending was a bit abrupt and I was left thinking, "Oh is that it?". But I'm hoping the TV show, and perhaps The Testaments (which I'll get around to reading st some point!) will tell us what actually happened after.
Overall, an okay story which is now marked off my list of books I should definitely read in my lifetime.
3.5*
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape
Moderate: Death and Kidnapping
Minor: Infertility, Infidelity, Violence, Medical content, Pregnancy, War, and Pandemic/Epidemic