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A review by its_naman
The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood
dark
tense
medium-paced
- 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
3.5
The President and the whole Congress is dead. The Army has taken over the country and abolished the constitution. Women are reduced to caretakers and baby making machines. Any violation or criticism against the 'government' leads to disastrous consequences.
The Handmaid's Tale was an uncomfortable read as a lot of it mirrors the condition of women in many countries. I loved the protagonist, Ofwarren. I love her descent from an independent, free woman to someone who gave up her cause for human desires.
However, the plot lacked a sense of urgency and tension which I expected having read dystopias like 1984 or Fahrenheit 451. The message in them got across very effectively because they were really brutal. Everytime our protagonist goes against the rules, you expect it to stop your heart for a moment. You are scared and can't wait to know what consequences this could have for her. But, to my disappointment, everyone seemed a little.. lenient. I know this is a controversial take. A lot of vile things happen throughout the story, just not upto the extent I'm used to. Probably, this is a good thing. It shows that you can't take away from humans what they inherently are..
All the same, what I'm asking for is more suffering. Something that makes my stomach turn, makes me feel sick with disgust. You could see a glimpse of it whenOfglen repeatedly kicks the supposed rapist in the head just so she could put an end to his misery and then kills herself. This was the most chilling excerpt I've encountered in this book. I feel like it could've been a lot better if there were more instances like this.
Overall, I think this is a pretty decent feminist story. I know a lot of people will appreciate it more than I do so you should totally give it a chance.
The Handmaid's Tale was an uncomfortable read as a lot of it mirrors the condition of women in many countries. I loved the protagonist, Ofwarren. I love her descent from an independent, free woman to someone who gave up her cause for human desires.
However, the plot lacked a sense of urgency and tension which I expected having read dystopias like 1984 or Fahrenheit 451. The message in them got across very effectively because they were really brutal. Everytime our protagonist goes against the rules, you expect it to stop your heart for a moment. You are scared and can't wait to know what consequences this could have for her. But, to my disappointment, everyone seemed a little.. lenient. I know this is a controversial take. A lot of vile things happen throughout the story, just not upto the extent I'm used to. Probably, this is a good thing. It shows that you can't take away from humans what they inherently are..
All the same, what I'm asking for is more suffering. Something that makes my stomach turn, makes me feel sick with disgust. You could see a glimpse of it when
Overall, I think this is a pretty decent feminist story. I know a lot of people will appreciate it more than I do so you should totally give it a chance.