When I first read the Handmaid's Tale, about 30 years ago, it had a powerful effect on me. I read it again, a few days ago, and this powerful effect is still there.

The Testaments though it's a different story, intense and strange. It didn’t provoke the same feelings. it is only barely connected to the Handmaid’s Tale novel with respect to character, style, or tone. It looks more like a political and theological satire of misogyny, corruption and apathy. It’s a thriller.

I was intrigued by the character of Aunt Lydia. A complex, twisted and ruthless character. A survivor. Her hatred towards the theocratic Gilead turned her into the monster she ultimately became. No action, however cruel, can stop her. And eventually she takes her revenge. She is a fascinated character, the backbone of the story, the one that connects all the other characters.