A review by elenayasmin
The Testaments by Margaret Atwood

dark inspiring mysterious reflective tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

Atwood wrote this book to answer questions asked by readers of The Handmaid's Tale. However, many questions still remain unanswered, for example,
how exactly did the microdot in Nicole's arm lead to the downfall of Gilead
. It was certainly a very gripping read, however I am feeling somewhat dissatisfied after having finished reading it. Atwood builds a lot of suspense throughout the book, but the resolution seems somewhat unrefined. I think she could have afforded to reveal more in The Thirteenth Symposium chapter.

This book differs greatly from the first book due to the fact that The Handmaid's Tale follows only one character, and we get a very immersive experience of her life. The Testaments however follows the perspectives of three characters, which detatches us more from the characters and gives this book a closer feeling of a historical document. Atwood did very well in delivering the different personalities through their testaments, with each character having a unique voice.
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