Reviews

The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood

bambinochance's review against another edition

5.0

I saw the show before I read the book. The show's first season really did a great job - It followed the book pretty closely.

The book gave me chills. It should be required reading for every woman. I can't believe it was written in 1985 and still feels so relevant. I wish Offred was a little more rebellious but you could just feel how beat down she was. In my world, she gets a happy ending after escorted to the van.

jess_mango's review against another edition

5.0

Loved it! Gripping, intelligent and thought provoking...this is definitely one of Atwood's best books!

bookstalgic's review against another edition

dark mysterious sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

nikkigribuste's review against another edition

3.0

this took so long to read, oh my god. i gave this a 3/5 because personally i’ve never read a book like this before. i read this purely because i wanted to take a level english and knew after i finished the book, i would not be able to talk about it. however, i loved the concept of this book and the themes of feminism. it made me a bit sad too tbh. there was more description than dialogue, and the dialogue in general was a bit strange with no speech marks. furthermore, it was a little bit too chunky in my opinion and i kept feeling drained whilst reading and kept checking when the book will end. looking forward to seeing it the tv show might take away some of the exhaust.

not my favourite this year.

glassnerd's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

kyliea32's review against another edition

5.0

The first Margaret Atwood read I picked up and was impressed with her story-telling ability and the way she was able to navigate between the main characters current experiences in the Gilead and before to show the contrast in her reality.

I recommend it as a first pick for anyone looking to explore Margaret Atwood as an author.

achinglyshy's review against another edition

dark medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

wait because this was actually sooooo much better than i was expecting??????? i'm such a sucker for dystopian books and this did not disappoint!! and don't get me started on the ending....ik a lot of people get mad when books end like this one did, but the historical notes section had my jaw on the floor like OHHHHHHH and everything clicked into place

i think i'm going to watch the hulu series sometime this summer after i finished doctor who (unless one of you yells at me that it's bad or something)

phantomnr's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

maike_kte's review against another edition

dark informative reflective sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

thealexarachelle's review against another edition

3.0

It’s hard for me to say if I would’ve loved this book since I started watching the series first. It is a good story, but I feel as if something may be missing. The show is not the same as the book, which was refreshing to read. Maybe if I read this 10 years ago, I’d feel differently. I’m kind of indifferent to it as you can tell by this bland review. Onto the next!