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A review by lisasolomon
The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood
dark
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- 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? Yes
this is another read along [or more accurately re-read along] with my kiddo. assigned to them in their english class i was a bit apprehensive. i read it many many many moons ago. and then watched 4 seasons of the TV adaptation. the two had merged in my mind into some kind of amalgamation of what i was unsure. i also wondered if i could stomach it with the impending return of an administration that many have pointed out have gilead leanings.
on the one hand - YES - wow are we ever closer and closer to this dystopian insanity. the removal of abortion rights just screams we are on a slippery slope and here come the red dresses and white wings. on the other hand it thankfully still felt more in the realm of highly probable science fiction rather than the actual world we are living in. phew. i guess?
the TV show had obliterated my memory of the precision and clarity of atwood's writing. it is good. i also completely and absolutely forgot about the anthropological/historical reporting of this as a paper ending. how i forgot that i don't know. but it did the interesting trick of adding a sense of gravitas - even through it's skepticism. even though we can't quite tell if things are "all better" in 2195 or not.
the empathy to the practice of disassociation is STRONG. i can see how sometimes the path of least resistance or the protection of your mental health truly just leads to even more awful things happening. in some ways the TV show is scarier because the waterfords are younger, and slicker and thus more terrifying. it certainly has made me think about how to resist while maintaining some semblance of sanity. or not, but i can try. or we can try.
part of me wishes atwood and butler were not as prescient as they are. part of me is so grateful for their insight.
on the one hand - YES - wow are we ever closer and closer to this dystopian insanity. the removal of abortion rights just screams we are on a slippery slope and here come the red dresses and white wings. on the other hand it thankfully still felt more in the realm of highly probable science fiction rather than the actual world we are living in. phew. i guess?
the TV show had obliterated my memory of the precision and clarity of atwood's writing. it is good. i also completely and absolutely forgot about the anthropological/historical reporting of this as a paper ending. how i forgot that i don't know. but it did the interesting trick of adding a sense of gravitas - even through it's skepticism. even though we can't quite tell if things are "all better" in 2195 or not.
the empathy to the practice of disassociation is STRONG. i can see how sometimes the path of least resistance or the protection of your mental health truly just leads to even more awful things happening. in some ways the TV show is scarier because the waterfords are younger, and slicker and thus more terrifying. it certainly has made me think about how to resist while maintaining some semblance of sanity. or not, but i can try. or we can try.
part of me wishes atwood and butler were not as prescient as they are. part of me is so grateful for their insight.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, and Violence