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4.13 AVERAGE
4.13 AVERAGE
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
dark
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Some four years ago, in the early hours of the morning in a cramped apartment just beyond the outer limits of the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities campus, I found myself frantically hammering out the eleven page shit show of a creative writing assignment known to only a select few of my trusted friends as "Island of Damian." I had procrastinated writing this story for weeks, and when I finally set fingers to computer keyboard, the story came directly out of my ass, unintentionally mimicking the plot and structure of the classic cult TV series Lost, which I had been binging at the time. "Island of Damian" was so sloppily written, structurally incomprehensible, cliche-ridden, and downright embarrassing that I found myself nodding my head in agreement at the savage remarks of my class critics. I have since buried the story I wrote in twenty minutes in a secretive file folder accessible for my entertainment purposes— and my eyes— only.
The highly anticipated Handmaid's Tale follow-up The Testaments, I am sorry to report, is Margaret Atwood's "Island of Damian." I read the opening epigraphs and the first few pages at the bookstore and checked it out immediately, expecting a satisfying return to Gilead with a twist— the book would be narrated not by the previous main character, June Osborn, but by her harsh and unforgiving teacher, Aunt Lydia, instead. Little did I know, Aunt Lydia's narrative sections populated only about a third of the book, and they did not resemble the character I remembered in the slightest. The other two narrators were underdeveloped, nearly indistinguishable imaginings of June's two daughters, Agnes and Nicole.
The plot was obscenely rushed and predictable. It read as if the writing process consisted of the author's agent screaming "Faster, FASTER!" at her while clanging cymbals in her face in a race against the clock. Nothing made sense, a character fell in love less than 24 hours after not reacting to her beloved parents' sudden deaths, and around page 250 or so I actually heard heard myself groan "Oh my god, WHAT? You've got to be kidding me!" out loud, in my room, to no one.
I'm running out of ideas here so I won't continue like a certain other esteemed author did, but if you loved The Handmaid's Tale, are an avid fan of the TV series, and want to continue searching for your will to live, stay away, for the love of God, stay away.
***Rating: 0 Handmaids out of 10***
The highly anticipated Handmaid's Tale follow-up The Testaments, I am sorry to report, is Margaret Atwood's "Island of Damian." I read the opening epigraphs and the first few pages at the bookstore and checked it out immediately, expecting a satisfying return to Gilead with a twist— the book would be narrated not by the previous main character, June Osborn, but by her harsh and unforgiving teacher, Aunt Lydia, instead. Little did I know, Aunt Lydia's narrative sections populated only about a third of the book, and they did not resemble the character I remembered in the slightest. The other two narrators were underdeveloped, nearly indistinguishable imaginings of June's two daughters, Agnes and Nicole.
The plot was obscenely rushed and predictable. It read as if the writing process consisted of the author's agent screaming "Faster, FASTER!" at her while clanging cymbals in her face in a race against the clock. Nothing made sense, a character fell in love less than 24 hours after not reacting to her beloved parents' sudden deaths, and around page 250 or so I actually heard heard myself groan "Oh my god, WHAT? You've got to be kidding me!" out loud, in my room, to no one.
I'm running out of ideas here so I won't continue like a certain other esteemed author did, but if you loved The Handmaid's Tale, are an avid fan of the TV series, and want to continue searching for your will to live, stay away, for the love of God, stay away.
***Rating: 0 Handmaids out of 10***
adventurous
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Loved it, love it that we finally get the answers about gilead, love it that we got to know Nicole and agnes, i would love to read more about how they connected with each other and their mother, i loved the whole concept of this book, i need more!
challenging
dark
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Very slow. Interesting as a follow up to The Handmaid's Tale. The format of the ending was repetitive and a bit unsatifsfying. Probably wouldn't have been as compelling if we were living in a different time, but as the US slides into a religious fanatacism tied up with our government, it was more harrowing of a tale.
dark
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Solid pre/sequel, expands the world building
Aunt Lydia, the complicated, wicked women that you are.
This books adds another layer of horror to The Handmaids tale, but takes away justtttt a little of the open ending of the previous book.
This books adds another layer of horror to The Handmaids tale, but takes away justtttt a little of the open ending of the previous book.
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I enjoyed this a lot but a very different book to the first. Heavy on the plot and desperate to make everyone a good guy by the end took it more to a place of ‘beach read’ than the scathing social commentary of its predecessor.
Still an enjoyable listen-especially with the different voice actors-but it’s left me feeling a little hollow.
Still an enjoyable listen-especially with the different voice actors-but it’s left me feeling a little hollow.