The Handmaid's Tale

by Margaret Atwood

Hardcover, 350 pages

English language

Published Jan. 1, 2006 by Everyman's Library.

ISBN:: 978-0-307-26460-2
OCLC Number:: 140786839

(74 reviews)

A gripping vision of our society radically overturned by a theocratic revolution, Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid's Tale has become one of the most powerful and most widely read novels of our time. Offred is a Handmaid in the Republic of Gilead, serving in the household of the enigmatic Commander and his bitter wife. She may go out once a day to markets whose signs are now pictures because women are not allowed to read. She must pray that the Commander makes her pregnant, for in a time of declining birthrates her value lies in her fertility, and failure means exile to the dangerously polluted Colonies. Offred can remember a time when she lived with her husband and daughter and had a job, before she lost even her own name. Now she navigates the intimate secrets of those who control her every move, risking her life in breaking the rules. Like …

41 editions

Thomas reviewed The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood

Captivating dystopia

4 stars

I have not watched the TV series based on the book before reading it. I prefer it in that order. I was caught up in the story from the first few pages. It describes a dystopian future regime in the former United States with very strict rules and control and abundant capital punishment for those who step a bit out of line. The story has chilling similarities to some of what I read about present-day conservative America.

Daniele (He/Him) reviewed The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood (The Handmaid's Tale, #1)

The Handmaid's Tale

4 stars

The Republic of Gilead is a military regime based on fundamentalist Christian values. There's no place for freedom, for choice, for self determination. Women in particular have been stripped of all their rights and are divided into castes. The narrator and main character, Offred, is a Handmaid and her only function is to breed. This is a very good novel, and a pretty scary one, considering how the rights of women, particularly reproductive rights, are constantly under attack by the religious fundamentalists and right-wing politicians. The dystopian society depicted in this book is far too plausible, at least in some of its elements...

tomek reviewed Opowieść podręcznej by Margaret Atwood

Review of 'Opowieść podręcznej' on 'Goodreads'

3 stars

Świetnie wykreowany oryginalny świat.
Fabularnie jednak pierwsza połowa nie zachwyca, za to druga nadrabia za pierwszą.

Zakończenie nie jest satysfakcjonujące - po co pisać całą książkę, skoro można pod koniec dać suplement historyczny i wyjaśnić o co w książce w ogóle chodzi.

Wielką wartość dostrzegam w ukazanej pasywnej reakcji na działania reżimu.

Kapitalny pomysł, który nie został tu wykorzystany, za to z wielkim potencjałem na całe uniwersum.

Cheri reviewed The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood

Review of "The Handmaid's Tale" on 'Storygraph'

5 stars

I found this book mostly fascinating and terrifying. With our current political and religious culture this could be a possible future.

I loved the prose and Claire Danes was perfect as narrator. I would absolutely read it again. Maybe with my eyes next time.

I did have to take a short break because it was so heavy emotionally. That's not to say there's much in the way of emotional writing because the narrator, Offred, is not emotive in her telling. She's sharing her story in a direct way. Well, direct in that she's giving facts and reasons behind her decisions. There are a few places where she gives her more personal feelings but she tries to keep it to a minimum. I think this forced me to experience my own emotions rather than feed off of hers.

I'm glad I finally read it.

█▓▒░⡷⠂ДCCЯДZΞ⠐⢾░▒▓█ reviewed The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood (The Handmaid's Tale, #1)

Review of "The Handmaid's Tale" on 'GoodReads'

4 stars

Started off a little slow.... but the book really grabbed me about halfway through. I think I read the last 150 pages of the book in one sitting. Really interesting exploration of mono-theocracies and the social implications they bring. Not quite sci-fi, but definitely dystopian. I really enjoyed piecing together the new world of 'Gilead' based upon the bits of information Offred knew. Very unique twist to the 1984 and Brave New World versions of the future we've seen over and over again.