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irinalast's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Moderate: Death, Misogyny, Sexism, Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Sexual content, and Sexual assault
Minor: Animal death, Body shaming, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Pregnancy, Torture, and War
anotheranomaly_'s review against another edition
- 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? No
4.25
Graphic: Bullying, Colonisation, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Pregnancy, Medical content, Misogyny, Miscarriage, Genocide, Grief, Forced institutionalization, Trafficking, Slavery, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Physical abuse, Violence, Religious bigotry, Infertility, Injury/Injury detail, War, Sexism, Sexual assault, and Sexual violence
Moderate: Blood, Homophobia, Mental illness, Rape, Suicidal thoughts, Classism, Police brutality, Body shaming, Cursing, and Death
reddeddy's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Graphic: Body shaming, Classism, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, Infertility, Infidelity, Medical content, Medical trauma, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Rape, Religious bigotry, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Violence
Moderate: Cursing, Death, Grief, Gun violence, Homophobia, Islamophobia, Kidnapping, Lesbophobia, Murder, Vomit, War, Xenophobia, Abandonment, Abortion, Antisemitism, Biphobia, and Bullying
Minor: Animal death, Blood, Cancer, Child death, Excrement, Police brutality, Racism, Torture, Trafficking, Alcohol, Fatphobia, Injury/Injury detail, Mass/school shootings, and Pedophilia
kennie's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Graphic: Death, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Religious bigotry, Suicide attempt, Suicide, Child death, Homophobia, Emotional abuse, Lesbophobia, Body shaming, Miscarriage, Sexual content, Infidelity, Infertility, Misogyny, Rape, Sexism, and Sexual assault
Minor: War
annoyedhumanoid's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
it's definitely white feminism, with racism in this religious-extremist totalitarian regime only mentioned once, in passing, at the very end. compared to another modern classic published just two years later, Beloved, it's kind of embarrassing.
cover design review: ★★★★☆. instant one-star deduction for having author's name larger than the title (sorry Margaret Atwood), and this is especially egregious; the title is relatively tiny. we all know minimalism has become excessive but i really like this one. the centering of the title is very satisfying, with approximately equal overhang of "HANDMAID'S" on either side of the dress. and the best part, get ready for your mind to be blown: see that dot in front of the Handmaid's head? it's the eye of a face in profile looking to the left hidden in the negative space. genius
Graphic: Religious bigotry, Sexism, Suicide, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Classism, Gun violence, Suicidal thoughts, Body horror, Trafficking, Violence, Domestic abuse, Death, Rape, Infidelity, Misogyny, Infertility, Murder, Sexual violence, and Torture
Moderate: Kidnapping, Miscarriage, Pregnancy, Lesbophobia, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Cursing, Mass/school shootings, Antisemitism, Homophobia, Injury/Injury detail, Alcohol, Animal death, Mental illness, Animal cruelty, Blood, Drug use, Child abuse, Death of parent, and Child death
Minor: Abortion, Medical content, Police brutality, Fire/Fire injury, Eating disorder, Excrement, Fatphobia, Gaslighting, Racism, War, Islamophobia, Physical abuse, Sexual harassment, Body shaming, and Vomit
jasminemanaois's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.5
Graphic: Rape, Sexual assault, Trafficking, Suicide, Sexual content, Misogyny, Miscarriage, Mental illness, Grief, Emotional abuse, Body shaming, and Bullying
labohemeperdue's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Ableism, Abortion, Addiction, Alcohol, Blood, Cancer, Body shaming, Death, and Domestic abuse
Moderate: Gore
ellahaugdahl's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
-
an important book everybody should read, even though it is written in a hard way and include many details and world building.
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Infertility, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Suicide, Abandonment, Sexual assault, Torture, and Violence
Moderate: Body shaming, Cursing, Death, Murder, Rape, Self harm, and War
Minor: Blood, Body shaming, Death of parent, and Miscarriage
natalie_1127's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Graphic: Confinement, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Infertility, Misogyny, Pregnancy, Rape, Religious bigotry, Sexism, and Slavery
Moderate: Ableism, Body shaming, Domestic abuse, Genocide, Grief, Hate crime, Infidelity, and Sexual content
Minor: Mental illness, Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, and Violence
nuala_koala's review against another edition
- 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? It's complicated
2.0
I was expecting to hate this book. I don't know anyone who likes it. I was semi-surprised. I didn't love "The Handmaid's Tale", and I didn't dislike it. It was simply "OK".
Some of my positive points about it include:
- I really liked the amount of description Margaret Atwood included within this book. I found reading this quite a visual experience - through Atwood's writing you could really picture what the setting was like.
- I thought that the way the story was told - in snippets and fragments, was both unique and interesting. While it was sometimes a little bit confusing, it was a fascinating way for the reader to gain more information about Gilead and Offred's life.
- The setting - Gilead, a world where most women were forced to be 'handmaid's to men - was interesting and a unique idea.
Some of the things I didn't like about this book;
- I thought that it should've been a lot shorter. Atwood really tried to keep the plot slow - it moved like frozen molasses, to take a phrase from "Jane Eyre". Many times, I like a slow plot - especially with classics. When the words and writing are rich and beautiful, I enjoy it. But, I feel that Atwood's writing was just not exquisite enough to pull the slow plot off. I will give it to Atwood though - I did want to finish the book. I was just disappointed throughout.
- Building on the first point, it really irritated me that there was a cliffhanger. Atwood had made me read the entire book waiting for something to happen only to leave me on a cliffhanger!? I will inevitably read the second book, though I am worried it will not explain what happened to Offred.
- I also was hoping that Atwood would also delve into how kind and good men can be. The story revolved around men being bad - even the more 'good' ones of the book. For example, even Luke had sexist views, and Nick didn't really care about Offred. I think the story could've been a lot better if Atwood had added another positive male character.
So, overall, The Handmaid's Tale was an OK read. I am definitely not rushing to pick up the next one, which is unusual for a cliffhanger ending.
It deserved 2 stars, so that's what it got.
Graphic: Abortion, Rape, Sexual violence, Violence, Police brutality, Body shaming, Confinement, Death, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Pregnancy, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Suicide attempt
Minor: Animal death, Torture, and Cursing