A review by harperphillips96
The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood

dark reflective tense

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

While I’ve read this book probably four times total, it had been a decade since my last reread when it was assigned to me at the beginning of this semester. Reading from an academic perspective is always different than reading purely for pleasure, of course, but even on the latter front I was amazed how different this read through was for me. The things an 18 year old sees are very much not what a 28 year old sees, I guess, and I’m sure it will be more and more different every decade to come. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Rape, Forced institutionalization, Trafficking, Religious bigotry, and Pregnancy

Moderate: Death, Infertility, Kidnapping, and Grief

Minor: Suicide attempt