The Handmaid’s Tale (The Handmaid's Tale, #1) in Crazy Challenge Connection

Jul 27, 2018 Ashleigh rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: series-books

The Handmaid's Tale , is a dystopian novel set in a near-future America where essentially women have no rights, and they are controlled and put into 'sections' by men. The options for women are: a Wife, self explanatory; a Handmaid, used solely for breeding purposes; a Martha, someone who takes care of the cooking and cleaning of a household; an Aunt, someone who 'trains' the future Handmaids and helps them settle into their new role; and an Unwoman, which is not a great position. An Unwoman The Handmaid's Tale , is a dystopian novel set in a near-future America where essentially women have no rights, and they are controlled and put into 'sections' by men. The options for women are: a Wife, self explanatory; a Handmaid, used solely for breeding purposes; a Martha, someone who takes care of the cooking and cleaning of a household; an Aunt, someone who 'trains' the future Handmaids and helps them settle into their new role; and an Unwoman, which is not a great position. An Unwoman is someone who cannot reproduce or serve any other purpose, and is sent away to the Colonies to rot, basically.

We follow a nameless woman, who after taking the position of a handmaid in her 3rd household, has been assigned the name Offred. She is allowed to leave her household once a day to walk to the food markets to exchange tokens for food for the household, and has to wear long heavy red robe-like dresses and headwear which almost cover her completely. Her face is obstructed by white wings which allow her to have a small section of vision, whilst also ensuring that no-one else can see her face. Oh, and she has to lie on her back, in between the wife of the household's legs, and allow (not really a choice here) the Commander to have sex with her and hopefully make her pregnant. This is Offred's life now, and she tells us her story, before, during and after the events that changed America, and it's a frightening tale.

So I feel like I was the last person on Earth who hadn't read this yet, and I'm so pleased I finally sat down to read it. It is hauntingly beautiful, and as I've mentioned, frightening and horrifying. I feel like this book is especially important in our current time, as it feels like at times this could be our future reality. A scary thought.

I really liked Offred, and while her choices weren't 100% well-thought, she was a flawed character, but I felt she 'coped' remarkably well, given her circumstances. (view spoiler)

Overall, powerful haunting story and I highly recommend it! ...more

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Dec 04, 2015 Martha rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: read-2016, fiction, feminism

My expectations might have been too high when I started this novel. It's regularly in those lists of books one has to read before dying, a modern classic, a particularly must-read for any feminist.

Atwood is clearly very astute. The environment that she imagines is so chilling because it feels like it could actually happen, and it certainly gives food for thought. I've read a number of reviews that credit this novel with converting them to feminism.

Perhaps for an existing feminist it's less surpr ...more

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Aug 02, 2017 Lindsey rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: dystopian

This was a disturbing story to read because you can see how easily it could happen. A society run by fear and strict rules controlled by religious fanatics. Add to the mix a decreased fertility rate due to toxins in the environment and the Republic of Gilead is formed. All because no one spoke up against the regime at the beginning. No one defended the weak or abused-just kept their heads down and out of the way until it had gone too far, was too late. Great story, I just wasn't impressed with t ...more

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