Reviews tagging 'Alcohol'

The Testaments by Margaret Atwood

2 reviews

tigerkind's review against another edition

challenging dark reflective sad tense 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? No

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Classism, Child abuse, Death, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Domestic abuse, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Sexual violence, Toxic friendship, Sexism, Death of parent, Forced institutionalization, and Suicide attempt

Moderate: Child death, Gore, Infidelity, Cancer, Incest, Murder, Abandonment, Gun violence, Miscarriage, Slavery, Torture, Grief, Infertility, Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Cursing, and Excrement

Minor: Xenophobia, Fatphobia, Vomit, War, Trafficking, Alcohol, and Mass/school shootings

lily1304's review

adventurous dark tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix

3.5

This is very different from the Handmaid's Tale. One of the strengths of the Handmaid's Tale is its lack of detail - lots of aspects of Gilead are shadowy and vague, which makes it feel like a bad dream, and the fact that the narrator has no idea what's happening politically inside or outside Gilead makes her even more hopeless and powerless.

The Testaments was clearly written partly to satisfy fans' questions about Gilead, and it has a much more traditional dystopian-adventure style than the Handmaid's Tale. You can see the three womens' stories and motivations slowly weaving together to a distinct climax. It's both a strength and a weakness - it's probably more of a page-turner than the Handmaid's Tale, but it doesn't have the same power.

The Testaments introduces the Pearl Girls / "Pearls of Great Price", or Gilead missionaries to Canada and other countries. They seemed like an intentional dig at Mormons, who are known for their pairs of missionaries around the world, and who have a book of scripture called the Pearl of Great Price. I'm not a fan of many aspects of Mormon practice and culture, but it seems extreme and unnecessary to associate them with Gilead.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gun violence, Infidelity, Misogyny, Murder, Pregnancy, Rape, Self harm, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Trafficking, and Violence

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Grief, Infertility, and Religious bigotry

Minor: Alcohol, Cancer, and Cursing