I had bought and read this book when it first came out in paperback in 1985 when I was a grad student. I loved it then! I still love it! I totally forgotten that the end was somewhat ambiguous as to what the outcome was of "of Fred". It definitely paints a picture of the truly warped society with warped views of people and religion. The author does a good job using first person to express the individual feelings of thee handmaid and the plight of society. In some ways, the end is a little encouraging, because it shows the. To be only a period and to come to an end, but it's a little bit unnerving that the characters that we have come to know are not completed. On the other hand, nothing is left hanging per se. I am looking forward to reading it (or listening to it) again, and getting more out of it. Of course, it may be another 25 years before I get around to it again :-). I highly recommend this book, particularly for anyone who has concerns about society, religion, or authority. Excellent book!