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alixbx 's review for:
The Handmaid's Tale
by Margaret Atwood
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
To be edited when I can compose my thoughts.
This main character is a piece of work (derogatory) but the story’s major elements are so relevant all these decades after it’s first publication. I don’t know yet how to reconcile that I hate the main character so much and yet feel that this should be required reading.
Full thoughts to come in an edit, though.
[2025 Update Below, marked for spoilers where appropriate]
I really needed to sit with this text for a long time to formulate my full thoughts on it. I am utterly torn between this main character being thoroughly unlikable in so many ways, but also feeling firmly that this book should be required reading. Offred, prior to the violent take over,engaged in an affair with a man whom she knew was married , which is incredible red flag behavior. She was young, so there is a level of maturity that maybe she could have gained, but as the story in this novel progresses, it presents as though she is trying to convince herself to be faithful to her husband in any way possible while engaging sexually with another staff on the estate where she is assigned on top of engaging in a strange sort of affair with the husband of that same assigned family. She almost relishes in it because of it being forbidden, which tracks for the characterization we get from her. She says one thing, thinks another, and then usually takes action somewhere between those two opposing thoughts - and it just results in an incredible unreliable narrator on top of being an unlikable person.
All of that feels too critical, though, given the nature of this dystopian world since women lose all autonomy in this new government structure. Reality, unfortunately, has begun to parallel this fiction in many ways all over the world, which is why it is a heavily banned text. I am an American citizen and it is banned in 10 of our states as of 2025, which is a reflection of political leaders wanting to hide the similarities of progression. Early in the book,there are signs of a hyper conservative movement to the far right, with warnings that Christian faith taking a leading role in the government order. This is not unlike the movement that has been witnessed worldwide over the last 5-10 years, but especially over the last 4 years in America, where this text was originally published. It is frighteningly familiar reading this book, with no previous exposure to it (didn't read it in school, haven't watched the series, no reading up on what the premise was, nothing), it feels too much like the things I've seen happen in 2022 to present.
I've increased my rating of this book from a 3.5 to 4 since my finish date for a number of reasons - but mostly that an unlikable and unreliable main character is not normally something I would use as a reason to discourage others from reading a book. I actually feel that it is important to read these types of narratives because it challenges us to perceive and consider differently than we are accustomed to, which is equally how we grow intellectually as people. I also feel that the rating in isolation, while fair, is not sufficient given the material. This is a far wider universe of text that tells a much bigger story. Character growth in a multi-book universe is not appropriately measured in a single text that way, so I feel that I need to be more generous.
I don't know that I will ever personally read further into this universe, but I do maintain that everyone should read at least this book and talk about it with others. The way someone responds to this text is going to show you what side of history they stand on, and, perhaps, whether they will be a safe person if ever such a horrific thing comes to pass in reality.
This main character is a piece of work (derogatory) but the story’s major elements are so relevant all these decades after it’s first publication. I don’t know yet how to reconcile that I hate the main character so much and yet feel that this should be required reading.
Full thoughts to come in an edit, though.
[2025 Update Below, marked for spoilers where appropriate]
I really needed to sit with this text for a long time to formulate my full thoughts on it. I am utterly torn between this main character being thoroughly unlikable in so many ways, but also feeling firmly that this book should be required reading. Offred, prior to the violent take over,
All of that feels too critical, though, given the nature of this dystopian world since women lose all autonomy in this new government structure. Reality, unfortunately, has begun to parallel this fiction in many ways all over the world, which is why it is a heavily banned text. I am an American citizen and it is banned in 10 of our states as of 2025, which is a reflection of political leaders wanting to hide the similarities of progression. Early in the book,
I've increased my rating of this book from a 3.5 to 4 since my finish date for a number of reasons - but mostly that an unlikable and unreliable main character is not normally something I would use as a reason to discourage others from reading a book. I actually feel that it is important to read these types of narratives because it challenges us to perceive and consider differently than we are accustomed to, which is equally how we grow intellectually as people. I also feel that the rating in isolation, while fair, is not sufficient given the material. This is a far wider universe of text that tells a much bigger story. Character growth in a multi-book universe is not appropriately measured in a single text that way, so I feel that I need to be more generous.
I don't know that I will ever personally read further into this universe, but I do maintain that everyone should read at least this book and talk about it with others. The way someone responds to this text is going to show you what side of history they stand on, and, perhaps, whether they will be a safe person if ever such a horrific thing comes to pass in reality.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Body shaming, Bullying, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Infertility, Infidelity, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Toxic relationship, Transphobia, Violence, Blood, Excrement, Vomit, Kidnapping, Grief, Religious bigotry, Abortion, Suicide attempt, Murder, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Sexual harassment, War, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
This book is explicit in every topic it addresses, and it is addressed through the mind of the main character who sexualizes everything, no matter how unnecessarily. It is often without warning, too, so you can’t even skip over it if you think it’s coming up. It’s also graphic in every other way, too.