Reviews - Povestirea cameristei

41.7k reviews for:

Povestirea cameristei

Margaret Atwood, Monica Bottez

4.18 AVERAGE

nannaasmussen's review against another edition

4.5

dark mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: No

audrey_thebookworm's review against another edition

3.0

I took 2 months to read this book mostly because I had such a hard time getting through the slow pace of the first half and the incoherent way that the narrator recounted events from the past as well as the present.

However, as a whole, The Handmaid’s Tale definitely deserves high praise for the awareness it raises on several issues of women oppression. It transports you to a reality where women inferiority becomes the mainstream. Atwood drew me in with her depiction of this dystopian society, which although extreme, seems to be very plausible as it is rooted in today’s societal problems.

P.S. I’m especially fond of the historical notes dated year 2195 at the end of the book. A group of professors study The Handmaid’s Tale as a primary account of a now historical regime. Unfortunately, the symposium doesn’t give any information on what befell Offred, Luke, or her child. However, it hints to the author’s hope for a better tomorrow.

bamdad_adl's review against another edition

4.25

dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

illest_paradise's review against another edition

2.0

2 ⭐️ - There’s no denying the premise of this book is absolutely terrifying, especially in America today, but the execution didn’t land for me. I kept hoping Margaret would build up toward a powerful feminist uprising or some form of resistance, but it never happens. The ending is ambiguous, which only added to my frustration. The last 20% of the book felt like Atwood gave up & just wanted to wrap it up quickly. The writing is scattered, almost like reading the journal of someone with ADHD. Margaret uses a lot of similes/metaphors, & while some are effective, others are so layered they lose meaning & pull me completely out of the story. The constant mentions of Luke & her daughter felt repetitive, unresolved, & ultimately pointless. Overall, I was disappointed & unsatisfied. This book had so much potential, but it fell flat.

arundhati_p's review against another edition

3.0

~3.5~

This is the stuff my nightmares are made of. It is twisted, disturbing and heart wrenching. It was even difficult for me to continue at times. Margaret Atwood has managed to create a profoundly oppressive dystopian society. To just think about it gives me shudders. Though the plotline was interesting, there were few things I desired to see more. We get glimpses of Offred's old life, how the society used to be. It is not very clear on how the old society could just cease to exist and the new regime came to be. The shift between them seems to have taken place within a very short span of time. I would have liked if this was explored more.