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tesz 's review for:
The Handmaid's Tale
by Margaret Atwood
“When we think of the past it's the beautiful things we pick out. We want to believe it was all like that.”
Before I begin this, let me just say that if I read this before 2019 I would be on the edge of life for the rest of time. My blessings go out to all you guys that finished the handmaids tale before 'the testaments' was published.
Now, I can get on with what I have to say. And I probably won't say as much as I want because I'm still in my 'staring at the wall' phase after finishing.
I began this book with zero expectation, all I knew was that it was well known and turned into a series that I sometimes saw on SBS when I flicked through the channels. I picked it up after I went for an intense walk outside at 1am (like anyone does); I saw it on my bookshelf after I gathered all my parent's books that looked interesting. I read the first page and I knew straight away that this book was THE book. Say that I'm living under a rock, but I had no idea this was a feminist-dystopian-tale?
Exactly what one needs in their life, read this book before you eat breakfast tomorrow- I am telling you.
The novel was written from a regular woman's (from the 80's) point of view, which I found really interesting and authentic to read. Most 'feminist dystopians' usually have a character who is extremely bold and courageous, which I completely love but I found Atwood choosing this different point of view was really important in telling this particular tale, since it is all about the future roles everyday women would be enforced to take on.
I loved how it was told as if Offred herself was struggling with her own story, the novel changing between nearly forgotten memories and the continuing story. The novel was like a cut up collage that the reader would have to put back together, because Offred hadn't yet. She talks about love and loss from a unique perspective, constantly realising how her thoughts about these topics had now changed; almost stopping herself from reminiscing from a romantic outlook to a jaded one.
I read in a review that it was scary how normal day things appearing in the book could catch you from time to time, making the story closer to home- more real. Even more so, I watched a TED video which discussed how Atwood only included events that had already happened to women from some point in history. From then on, the dark images of the pages lived in my head and will for a long time after tonight. I couldn't believe it then and I still haven't completely let this sink in.
The handmaids tale is a raw book that highlights the damaging views of women that are still present within society today, it is sometimes forgotten that dystopia's are set in the same world we live in. Thank you for making me truly realise this, Margaret Atwood.
Before I begin this, let me just say that if I read this before 2019 I would be on the edge of life for the rest of time. My blessings go out to all you guys that finished the handmaids tale before 'the testaments' was published.
Now, I can get on with what I have to say. And I probably won't say as much as I want because I'm still in my 'staring at the wall' phase after finishing.
I began this book with zero expectation, all I knew was that it was well known and turned into a series that I sometimes saw on SBS when I flicked through the channels. I picked it up after I went for an intense walk outside at 1am (like anyone does); I saw it on my bookshelf after I gathered all my parent's books that looked interesting. I read the first page and I knew straight away that this book was THE book. Say that I'm living under a rock, but I had no idea this was a feminist-dystopian-tale?
Exactly what one needs in their life, read this book before you eat breakfast tomorrow- I am telling you.
The novel was written from a regular woman's (from the 80's) point of view, which I found really interesting and authentic to read. Most 'feminist dystopians' usually have a character who is extremely bold and courageous, which I completely love but I found Atwood choosing this different point of view was really important in telling this particular tale, since it is all about the future roles everyday women would be enforced to take on.
I loved how it was told as if Offred herself was struggling with her own story, the novel changing between nearly forgotten memories and the continuing story. The novel was like a cut up collage that the reader would have to put back together, because Offred hadn't yet. She talks about love and loss from a unique perspective, constantly realising how her thoughts about these topics had now changed; almost stopping herself from reminiscing from a romantic outlook to a jaded one.
I read in a review that it was scary how normal day things appearing in the book could catch you from time to time, making the story closer to home- more real. Even more so, I watched a TED video which discussed how Atwood only included events that had already happened to women from some point in history. From then on, the dark images of the pages lived in my head and will for a long time after tonight. I couldn't believe it then and I still haven't completely let this sink in.
The handmaids tale is a raw book that highlights the damaging views of women that are still present within society today, it is sometimes forgotten that dystopia's are set in the same world we live in. Thank you for making me truly realise this, Margaret Atwood.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Infertility, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Rape, Sexism, Sexual violence, Suicide, Pregnancy