From the Bookshelf of EVERYONE Has Read This but Me - The Catch-Up Book Club…

The Handmaid’s Tale (The Handmaid's Tale, #1)

Margaret Atwood

Start date: May 1, 2024

Finish date: May 31, 2024

Discussion: MODERN / POPULAR READS

Why we're reading this: May 2024 - Bookshelf Catch-Up
Group Pick for May '19 - Bookshelf Catch-up
Group Pick for Dec '17 - Bookshel…more
[close] May 2024 - Bookshelf Catch-Up
Group Pick for May '19 - Bookshelf Catch-up
Group Pick for Dec '17 - Bookshelf Catch-up
Group Pick for Nov' 16 - Modern Classic/Popular

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MODERN / POPULAR READS

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What Members Thought

Apr 06, 2017 Ian Anderson rated it it was ok · review of another edition

For those who have Amazon Prime and haven't read this yet, you can access it for no additional charge through Prime Reading, which is what I did. Just looking out.

I thought this book would have more of an impact on me than it did. Don't get me wrong, I did enjoy it overall but something was missing from my experience. Maybe it was the monotonous inner monologue, or the fragmented writing style, or the fact that dystopian novels are not usually my go to. I've read so far a few of the essentials; For those who have Amazon Prime and haven't read this yet, you can access it for no additional charge through Prime Reading, which is what I did. Just looking out.

I thought this book would have more of an impact on me than it did. Don't get me wrong, I did enjoy it overall but something was missing from my experience. Maybe it was the monotonous inner monologue, or the fragmented writing style, or the fact that dystopian novels are not usually my go to. I've read so far a few of the essentials; including 1984, Fahrenheit 451, The Giver, Brave New World, Animal Farm and now The Handmaid's Tale. While I did enjoy all of them, a few more than others, none of them have stuck out as a favorite book of mine with the exception of Animal Farm. So maybe it's just not my thing, I don't know. It's not like I keep striking out, it's more like I hit a pop fly for the out but the runner on third tags up for home and still puts a point on the board.

Okay, random analogy, I'll get back to the book. The Handmaid's Tale has one terrifying idea and message that I knew about going in. One that I was excited about. The writing right off the bat (there I go again) was a bit of an adjustment. The sentence structure is broken up and the story is non-linear, often jumping between past and present in the mind of Offred. Once I got the hang of it the story flowed a bit more, but I still found myself having to reread parts quite frequently, which may have disrupted how immersed I became. It has a lot of very graphic, shock value induced moments that I won't forget anytime soon. One thing that sticks with me is how Offred began to accept her fate and even started forgetting her past, making excuses for the way she was forced to live. The Handmaid's Tale definitely leaves the reader with a lot to think about. I look forward to watching the new TV series coming up as I feel it has the potential to be an incredible series for Hulu.

“When we think of the past it's the beautiful things we pick out. We want to believe it was all like that.” ...more

8 likes · Like · see review

Dec 16, 2018 Lars Martin rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: roman, dystopisk

It's obviously a book about feminism and women's right to freedom but, there's another interesting aspect to consider as well. When the citizens of the made up city of Gilead, or more precisely pre-Gilead, face threats to freedom, they remain passive. They don't stand up to their aggressors. They see their freedoms gradually diminish and don't do anything about it.

The Handmaid's Tale would serve as a critique of the political and social conditions we see in the USA today. That makes the book rel ...more

2 likes · Like · see review

Feb 18, 2018 Nico rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Un romanzo ambientato in un futuro alternativo dove le poche donne ancora fertili vengono usate come uteri in affitto per le famiglie più importanti della dittatura vigente. La narrazione in alcuni punti accelera e poi torna indietro e infine torna al ritmo incessante del presente.
Il lettore cerca appigli ed informazioni per completare il quadro della società e di chi la abita ma non può perché solo pochissimo viene rivelato, solo il poco che la narratrice e protagonista sa ed ha capito. Anche ...more

1 like · Like · see review