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Baba's Reviews > The Handmaid's Tale
The Handmaid's Tale (The Handmaid's Tale, #1)
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Baba's review
bookshelves: dystopia-it-all-went-cray-cray
Sep 28, 2019
bookshelves: dystopia-it-all-went-cray-cray
Read 3 times. Last read October 28, 2023 to November 5, 2023.
An ultra male chauvinist, racist, nativist, mono-theocratic organised military coup is the extreme ideologically-driven response to the pervasive ecological, physical and social degradation of an alternate USA in the 20th century; this is the rambling diary of a surrogate slave breeder (a 'handmaiden') of the era. Thought provoking as much as it is disturbing as it so feels very much like the dream aspirational reality that would be very much welcomed by most of the religious far-Right in America today!
Due to its surge in popularity in light of the TV show and then the book sequel, I thought a reread was due before I myself pick up the sequel. Let's talk about the writing! This story is set in a modern not too far in time America(!) and that things have got really bad, and now in 2023 I can see that this is the end-game of a Trump America! What Atwood does so well in this book; is using an unreliable narrator recalling her past, living under such an extreme regime, because it adds another layer to the read. In addition, every twist and turn of her experiences are only revealed as and when she recalls it, which results in almost every few pages, pages of insight, of shock, and awe of the sublimely dark creativity - slash - horror. It's a shame that in time the TV series may come to overshadow the book in culture, but what a book it is; alongside the innovative ideas, the looking-back-in-time PTSD suffering unreliable narrator, the multi-faceted characterisations of both 'good and 'bad people', the twisted alternate history concepts etc. it is wonderfully written, and yet another Margaret Atwood masterclass in storytelling. 10 out of 12. Five Star read.
2023, 2019 and 2010 read
Due to its surge in popularity in light of the TV show and then the book sequel, I thought a reread was due before I myself pick up the sequel. Let's talk about the writing! This story is set in a modern not too far in time America(!) and that things have got really bad, and now in 2023 I can see that this is the end-game of a Trump America! What Atwood does so well in this book; is using an unreliable narrator recalling her past, living under such an extreme regime, because it adds another layer to the read. In addition, every twist and turn of her experiences are only revealed as and when she recalls it, which results in almost every few pages, pages of insight, of shock, and awe of the sublimely dark creativity - slash - horror. It's a shame that in time the TV series may come to overshadow the book in culture, but what a book it is; alongside the innovative ideas, the looking-back-in-time PTSD suffering unreliable narrator, the multi-faceted characterisations of both 'good and 'bad people', the twisted alternate history concepts etc. it is wonderfully written, and yet another Margaret Atwood masterclass in storytelling. 10 out of 12. Five Star read.
2023, 2019 and 2010 read
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The Handmaid's Tale.
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Reading Progress
July 10, 2010
–
Started Reading
July 18, 2010
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Finished Reading
September 26, 2019
–
Started Reading
September 26, 2019
– Shelved
September 26, 2019
– Shelved as:
dystopia-it-all-went-cray-cray
September 28, 2019
–
Finished Reading
October 28, 2023
–
Started Reading
November 5, 2023
–
Finished Reading
Comments Showing 1-17 of 17 (17 new)
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I really must get round to reading this Baba.I haven't watched the series. 🙂
Julie wrote: "I really must get round to reading this Baba.I haven't watched the series. 🙂"
Thanks for commenting Julie :). I haven't watched the TV show either, I hope to get round to watching it one day!
Yeah Baba. You kinda didn’t really look at America then if you think it’s like that under any puppet, even trump.
This book is just marvelous. A friend of mine who is fan of the show told me the kindle was on sale (because of the second season of the show) and I was like "sure, why not?". I ended up wanting to throw myself off a cliff. The book is only the show's first season... so, there's a lot to be commented. Overall the adaptation is faithful to the book and the few different (I'm thinking in Ofglen/Emily's storyline) perfectly fit the tone of the show... at least up to the third season. After that I haven't watched.
Lizz wrote: "Yeah Baba. You kinda didn’t really look at America then if you think it’s like that under any puppet, even trump."HI Lizz, I think maybe I didn't make it clear, I was aware that it was a fictionalised reality, I just didn't even consider that it was set on a fictionalised Earth, until it was made clear that it was in the story. I thought it was clever to set it in a fictionalised USA, although since publication if you look at what a quite a lot of the far-Right Trump supporters appear to want, the book has got far closer to reality than I thought it ever would!
Malola wrote: "This book is just marvelous. A friend of mine who is fan of the show told me the kindle was on sale (because of the second season of the show) and I was like "sure, why not?". I ended up wanting to throw myself off a cliff.The book is only the show's first season... so, there's a lot to be commented. Overall the adaptation is faithful to the book and the few different (I'm thinking in Ofglen/Emily's storyline) perfectly fit the tone of the show... at least up to the third season. After that I haven't watched."
Thank you for taking the time and effort to comment Malola. I do feel deep-down my hesitancy to watch the TV show is linked to me not wanting the TV show to colour my interpretation of the book and its characters. :)
Baba wrote: "...me not wanting the TV show to colour my interpretation of the book and its characters"*raises glass*
Here, here...
That's why I prefer reading the book first...
But I do find myself going back-and-forth with this topic.
At times I feel the adaptation permeates too much and I can't compartmentalise each world/medium (I cannot think of another face for Clarissa Vaughan other than Meryl Streep's)... and sometimes I think "eff with spoilers... good works transcend such trivialities".
*shrugs*
XD
great review Baba ! have you watched the series and do you recommend it ?
Malola wrote: "Here, here...That's why I prefer reading the book first...
But I do find myself going back-and-forth with this topic.
At times I feel the adaptation permeates too much and I can't compartmentalise each world/medium (I cannot think of another face for Clarissa Vaughan other than Meryl Streep's)... and sometimes I think "eff with spoilers... good works transcend such trivialities".
*shrugs*
XD"
It is a difficult question. It could be argued that a great adaptation should differ enough from the original source to make it worth watching as a separate experience... a good example of this, in my opinion is the very different TV adaptation of The Magicians. :)
Aleena wrote: "great review Baba ! have you watched the series and do you recommend it ?"Thanks Aleena! I haven't watched the TV show, and as I like the book so much, I'm not sure if I ever will!!!
I've never read this. Now you've read it twice and I feel guilty. I should really make time for it...
Wow! Glad this worked so well for you, Baba! I've not had much luck with Atwood's short stories, but maybe this will prove to be a game changer. Excellent review! :)
Rosh wrote: "Wow! Glad this worked so well for you, Baba! I've not had much luck with Atwood's short stories, but maybe this will prove to be a game changer. Excellent review! :)"Thanks Rosh... I have found Atwood a terrible writer of short stories, so you are not alone :)
megs_bookrack wrote: "I've never read this. Now you've read it twice and I feel guilty. I should really make time for it..."I've now read it thrice, have you read it yet? :)
I've read this novel 3 times and I felt kicked in the gut each time. I agree that Atwood is a master storyteller. Superb review!
Lisa wrote: "I've read this novel 3 times and I felt kicked in the gut each time. I agree that Atwood is a master storyteller. Superb review!"Glad to hear that it has continually impacted you after two rereads as it has done for me; it's such a clever point of view, that really hits home the nature of this dystopia; thanks Lisa.
Greta wrote: "Those gifs are great as well! It really is an extremely dark dystopia..."