The Handmaid's Tale in Book Riot's Read Harder Challenge

Mar 29, 2017 CrystalIsReading on StoryGraph rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: fiction, dystopian, social-justice-issues, feminist

I suppose it's shocking that I've taken this long to read a highly recommended dystopian novel. The Handmaid's Tale has been on my list for awhile. It took some very unexpected political developments to finally motivate me to read this, though, and I'm glad I did. I wouldn't call this book enjoyable, but it was brilliant and engrossing and engaging and horrifying. Atwood's writing technique reinforced the disorienting claustrophia of the handmaid Offred's life, as we learn through disjointed fla I suppose it's shocking that I've taken this long to read a highly recommended dystopian novel. The Handmaid's Tale has been on my list for awhile. It took some very unexpected political developments to finally motivate me to read this, though, and I'm glad I did. I wouldn't call this book enjoyable, but it was brilliant and engrossing and engaging and horrifying. Atwood's writing technique reinforced the disorienting claustrophia of the handmaid Offred's life, as we learn through disjointed flashbacks the changes that changed our free country into this religious fascist "Republic of Gilead". Does it seem over the top unlikely and ridiculous? Maybe sometimes. Then again, the repeating lesson of history for those who forget it is that things can change so quickly. Tyrants rise. Religions put in control of government oppress. And life is rarely pleasant for those on the losing side, at least those with no money. Offred's story broke my heart a little. I hated the commander by the end, although Offred helped me see his humanity while doing so. His hypocrisy and abuse of power. His wife's. Then Offred's inability to trust those around her--were they allies? Enemies? Spies? Or simply allies that could turn to enemies with the slightest bit of provocation? Like I said, the story, in tone, technique, and content, was claustrophobic and horrifying, as well as thought provoking. Gave me flashbacks to my own oppressive religious upbringing. That's the sign of an effective book. Now if we can only heed it's ever-more-relevant message...

"It was after the catastrophe, when they shot the president and machine-gunned the Congress and the army declared a state of emergency. They blamed it on the Islamic fanatics, at the time.
Keep calm, they said on television. Everything is under control.
I was stunned. Everyone was, I know that. It was hard to believe. The entire government, gone like that. How did they get it, how did it happen?
That was when they suspended the Constitution. They said it would be temporary."

"There were marches, of course, a lot of women and some men. But they were smaller than you might have thought. I guess people were scared. And when it was known that the police, or the army, or whoever they were, would open fire almost as soon as any of the marches even started, the marches stopped. A few things were blown up, post offices, subway stations. But you couldn't even be sure who was doing it. It could have been the army, to justify the computer searches and the others ones, the door-to-doors....I didn't know many of the neighbors, and when we met, outside on the street, we were careful to exchange nothing more than the ordinary greetings. Nobody wanted to be reported, for disloyalty." ...more

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Nov 03, 2008 Jaime rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: read-2008, dystopian

I was a little frightened of reading this book. I’m not a big fan of dystopian fiction, and I was afraid it was going to be too over-the-top, too unbelievable. But I was pleasantly surprised... While this isn’t particularly a happy story, it was an interesting one. Offred’s world seems unreal to me, but not unbelievable. And I especially liked the open-ended conclusion. Maybe Offred got away? Maybe society has reverted somewhat back to the "norm"? We don’t know for sure, but there’s enough there ...more

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Jan 23, 2008 Lianne rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites, 2010, kindle, dystopia

I just finished reading this, and I honestly can't believe that I haven't read it before now. I think this has become one of my favorite dystopian novels, especially because the main idea -- a society where women are subjugated and reproduction is forced and controlled -- doesn't seem that far from the realm of possibility. Frighteningly. In fact, I know there are current societies where elements similar to this story do actually take place.

There were so many things I loved about the way Atwood ...more

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