Review: The Handmaid's Tale

The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I found the writing style of this the book to be a bit difficult. At times I had a hard time guessing if it was a memory, something happening currently, or if it was a reflection on something past or something recent. The novel jumps around quite a bit. Also, quotation marks... What happened to them? Sometimes they were there, sometimes they weren't. This was a style choice, and one I understand. However, it did add to some confusion for me.

The Handmaid's Tale is part dystopian and part historical (at least in feel). I liked the mix. As with any political novel, I saw echos of past events as well as current events. I've very glad I don't live in this world. I am glad I read the novel. I was surprised by the calm way the story was told. Offred has a short moment of upset that bleeds through into the narration, but for the most part the emotion is removed from the story, and you feel separated from the actions. I liked that aspect of the story, and I know I related to the story more as a result.

Offred was an engaging narrator. Sometimes I wanted more details, but she likely didn't have much. The Handmaids were isolated and segregated on purpose. The Republic of Gilead is not a kind place for women, even though it tries to brainwash the women into thinking they are empowered through reproduction. Offred knows this is not true, and as a Handmaid she struggles with the mix of old she remembers and the new constraints and expectations placed on her.

This is a novel I will consider and think about for a while. It may be taken as a cautionary story by many, but I didn't see it that way. The Republic of Gilead feels close to our reality, but I don't see it as a reflection of things to come.

I recommend this novel. It will encourage you to think.

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