THE HANDMAID’S TALE- Margaret Atwood

THE HANDMAID’S TALE: terrifying and hard-hitting dystopian novel.

Set in the government overthrown Gilead, the story follows Offred, a handmaid, stripped of her identity to fulfil her role in society as a reproductive surrogate for the most powerful men and their wives. Whilst it took a short while to orientate myself, I soon settled into the story and began to understand the twisted hierarchy that Atwood has penned. Ultimately a well-written feminist novel, the story follows the characters who are fighting for their rights in their own way in what appears to be a stiflingly oppressive and misogynistic community.

Shockingly, it is somewhat believable of the future and surprisingly not too far-fetched, and whilst it was written 35 years ago, it seems somewhat before its time.

I approached this book with little knowledge of what I was getting myself into other than a hyped story written by a highly-credited author. However, what I loved about this book was its ability to make you question morals and beliefs and how it pushes the reader out of their comfort zone. An incredibly difficult read at times, Atwood has taken existing terrors and parcelled them up in one novel with them all running streamline to create a cruel and harrowing society, delivered subtlety and powerfully. Strangely perceptive and thought-provoking, it was an emotionally draining read. ⠀⠀

I am definitely looking forward to reading the recently awarded joint Booker Prize winner ‘The Testaments’ to see how the story unfolds! 

4 Stars