The Testaments was enjoyable and answered many questions I had after reading The Handmaid’s Tale, but it wasn’t necessary. I haven’t watched the show, nor do I intend to after finding out it strayed so far away from the first novel, so my expectations for this sequel were based solely on what I read and loved about Offred’s story. If you enjoyed the first book, I’d definitely recommend giving this a read, but don’t fall under the false assumption that it will trump The Handmaid’s Tale because it certainly falls short of the tense and atmospheric debut of Gilead.