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izabzh 's review for:
The Handmaid's Tale
by Margaret Atwood
Margaret Atwood has been on my to-read list for so, so long that I can’t believe I finally read the Handmaid’s tale because I started watching the tv show. This author is published, among others, by Virago, an editor that makes me want to read practically their entire catalogue. She’s a feminist, something I appreciate vey much in a time where women say « I’m not a feminist, but… », as if being a feminist was something wrong, evil, extreme.
Before turning the first pages, I read a few reviews here and there where readers said they were disappointed by the text, by the ending. I know it’s an open ending, not to everybody’s taste, but I liked it the way it is : it makes you think, you can use your own imagination, just like this chilling story makes you think.
I love the way the author writes, in the present tense, with evocative words that brings images immediately to my mind. When she describes Serena’s garden, I see it coming to life, so sensually, like in Zola’s La faute de l’abbé Mouret (Abbé Mouret’s transgression, another favourite classic of mine). The undercurrent of sensuality is palpable throughout the book.
Offred is apparently obedient, women have to be if they want to survive. Those who rebel are not actively killed, just sent to places where they won’t be able to survive. Men, on the other hand, are killed if they show the slightest hint of thought or belief. I love that Offred was a « normal » woman before, not an activist like her mother, not provocative like her best friend, just someone, not overly brave but who used to live the life of her choosing, with her job, her money, the man she chose for herself. It made it all easier to empathize with her.
Apparently, everything started with what was declared at the time to be an Islamic attack (rings a bell ?), then the Constitution was suspended and the powers that be reassured the public by saying it would be temporary (another bell ?). « There wasn’t even any rioting in the streets. People stayed home at night, watching television, looking for some direction. » Everything happened progressively, supposedly for a short period, but it would take some time to make everything right again. Then women were prohibited to work, to have their own money, their own properties, everything fell into the hands of men. Women who can bear children become so rare that they become too precious to live on their own standards. « It’s outrageous, one woman said, but without belief. What was it about this that made us feel we deserved it ? ». The marches soon stop in fear of retalliation and some sort of new religion takes over everything.
Then women are not even allowed to read any more, they use painted signs. No walking with your head up. Worse, some women take part of the system to help format the ones that will be used for reproduction. But I will mention no more what happens, you probably already know about it or heard about it.
What is especially frightening about this whole story is how easily it could become true. Pollution interfering with human reproduction ? Religions taking over ? Men taking over (more than they already have) ? A dictatorship meant for the greater good ? « You can’t break an omelette without breaking eggs, is what he says. We thought we could do better. Better ? I say, in a small voice. How can he think this is beter ? Better never means better for everyone, he says. It always means worse, for some. »
This novel is absolutely riveting and terrifying and Margaret Atwood is a great writer.
Before turning the first pages, I read a few reviews here and there where readers said they were disappointed by the text, by the ending. I know it’s an open ending, not to everybody’s taste, but I liked it the way it is : it makes you think, you can use your own imagination, just like this chilling story makes you think.
I love the way the author writes, in the present tense, with evocative words that brings images immediately to my mind. When she describes Serena’s garden, I see it coming to life, so sensually, like in Zola’s La faute de l’abbé Mouret (Abbé Mouret’s transgression, another favourite classic of mine). The undercurrent of sensuality is palpable throughout the book.
Offred is apparently obedient, women have to be if they want to survive. Those who rebel are not actively killed, just sent to places where they won’t be able to survive. Men, on the other hand, are killed if they show the slightest hint of thought or belief. I love that Offred was a « normal » woman before, not an activist like her mother, not provocative like her best friend, just someone, not overly brave but who used to live the life of her choosing, with her job, her money, the man she chose for herself. It made it all easier to empathize with her.
Apparently, everything started with what was declared at the time to be an Islamic attack (rings a bell ?), then the Constitution was suspended and the powers that be reassured the public by saying it would be temporary (another bell ?). « There wasn’t even any rioting in the streets. People stayed home at night, watching television, looking for some direction. » Everything happened progressively, supposedly for a short period, but it would take some time to make everything right again. Then women were prohibited to work, to have their own money, their own properties, everything fell into the hands of men. Women who can bear children become so rare that they become too precious to live on their own standards. « It’s outrageous, one woman said, but without belief. What was it about this that made us feel we deserved it ? ». The marches soon stop in fear of retalliation and some sort of new religion takes over everything.
Then women are not even allowed to read any more, they use painted signs. No walking with your head up. Worse, some women take part of the system to help format the ones that will be used for reproduction. But I will mention no more what happens, you probably already know about it or heard about it.
What is especially frightening about this whole story is how easily it could become true. Pollution interfering with human reproduction ? Religions taking over ? Men taking over (more than they already have) ? A dictatorship meant for the greater good ? « You can’t break an omelette without breaking eggs, is what he says. We thought we could do better. Better ? I say, in a small voice. How can he think this is beter ? Better never means better for everyone, he says. It always means worse, for some. »
This novel is absolutely riveting and terrifying and Margaret Atwood is a great writer.