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4.13 AVERAGE
4.13 AVERAGE
dark
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
adventurous
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
“The Testaments” by Margaret Atwood- first I need to thank this book for bringing me out of a reading slump! I first read The Handmaids Tale over a decade ago, and I loved Atwood’s writing- even with it being scary if I do say so myself, because look how much a dystopian novel can resemble realities. I’ve been wanting to read this sequel for a long time now, and I’m so glad I finally had the opportunity. Atwood skillfully gets you back into that world like no time has passed (although some time does pass in the setting). This book has multiple viewpoints- even for a role that you despise from the first one, however you get a different glimpse of her. (I’m am not a huge fan, but it was interesting to see this side of that character.) The transitions between the POVs were great, and the pace was terrific. Highly recommend this one if you haven’t had the pleasure yet, and I would recommend the first for obvious reasons. The last bit- chef’s kiss.
This story follows 3 different woman- an Aunt, a soon to be bride, and a woman from outside of Gilead who are all on their own missions. For me to share too much would rob you of the story, but for the Aunt, we get current and memories from the beginning of Gilead. The soon to be bride details her life growing up there, as well as how things changed in a way she never expected. The outsider is on a mission after a tragedy hits and she learns news that shocks her. Yes, that’s a super basic summary, but I know I am not the first to write about this one. Atwood is spectacular.
I just want to emphasize how important it is to read stories like this, as they do not seem so close to fiction much anymore. 👀
I was really hoping this book would pick up where Handmaid's Tale left off, but instead we got a tangled web of characters that had to intertwine to get to the resolution. I dragged myself through this one and just didn't find it as engaging or interesting. Sometimes there doesn't need to be a sequel.
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
dark
sad
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:
No
dark
reflective
fast-paced
adventurous
dark
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
challenging
dark
emotional
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
This book genuinely improved on almost everything that I felt was missing from the handmaids tale. I felt thrown head first into a fully expansive world with a compelling plot and realistic characters. The social commentary was hard hitting and did well to convey the seriousness of the situation that the characters were in while still managing to highlight the brightness of childhood. My only issue was that this still very much reads as white woman feminism. That can be fine when presented as the author only wanting to base this on their own experience to avoid falsely representing the experiences of others but negatively biased ways of describing this lack black, coily hair among other things really left a sour taste in my mouth. This was accompanied by one instance of a disability based slur being used without any discussion of how disabled people are treated in this society and why that is bad. I once again just wish a little more thought had gone into some aspects but it was overall a great improvement on the last book.