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A review by prolificliving
The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood
5.0
I am in awe and complete gratitude to Margaret Atwood's incredible powers in articulating thoughts, describing scenes, and painting characters and plots that weaved a powerful story - an unforgettable one for me with The Handmaid's Tale. I started listening to this book on audio and the performance of the audio by Claire Danes could not have been more gripping. She has a remarkable voice, and they couldn't have picked a better person to tell this dark tale.
Perhaps I should give you a window into my past so you can better understand why I loved the novel so much. I grew up in Tehran, Iran and was there during the revolution and the regime change, and as Offred - the main character - describes what was another time and another place in the past, and as she reveals bit by bit what happened when the Republic of Gilead was formed and replaced the old "United States", it were as if she is describing the events of my own country. The specifics were not exactly the same - of course not - but there were more similarities than I had expected.
Dictatorship does not happen overnight. It would not be a success. It happens little by little, bit by bit. They take away one right at a time, one privilege at a time, and you wake up one day and your entire freedom has been stamped as "illegal" by the new regime. I felt chills in my bones when Atwood described the conditions of the new life for women, the destruction of all things entertainment and education related, and the life of utter servitude to which these women were now reduced. Their "reduced circumstances" was a phrase that stuck with me. The book was a wake-up call to protect the freedom that we take for granted, because we are human and humans get used to any condition - dire or wonderful.
The story is gripping and unforgettable, mainly because I connected with the main character, even if I wish she'd tell me more - just more and more - about the circumstances and what happened, but you have to do the work you have to piece it together, and you have to keep going to find out why they are where they are. I loved the way Atwood can capture her character's inner conflict, turmoil, and desperate situation, and how she adapts to her own precious few options, and how she makes choices - or not - and what follows from those choices.
The ending? I was sitting at the airport lounge, rushing through it to see what happens and argh. I did not like the ending either - I saw this in a couple of other reviewers. I did not care for the whole future lecture hall reminiscing on the past historical records and the change in the story telling style. I'm choosing to translate that in my own way but I wish there were more before it ended - or to HOW it ended.
I can't tell you that it's a happy story, I can't tell you that it won't disgust you in parts, and I can't tell you why it was so unforgettable in a few words, I just know that it is a book I'll forever remember. Margaret Atwood is stunning and I'd listen to any audio book by Claire Danes. In fact, I'm off to check out The Blind Assassin among other works by Atwood right now.
Perhaps I should give you a window into my past so you can better understand why I loved the novel so much. I grew up in Tehran, Iran and was there during the revolution and the regime change, and as Offred - the main character - describes what was another time and another place in the past, and as she reveals bit by bit what happened when the Republic of Gilead was formed and replaced the old "United States", it were as if she is describing the events of my own country. The specifics were not exactly the same - of course not - but there were more similarities than I had expected.
Dictatorship does not happen overnight. It would not be a success. It happens little by little, bit by bit. They take away one right at a time, one privilege at a time, and you wake up one day and your entire freedom has been stamped as "illegal" by the new regime. I felt chills in my bones when Atwood described the conditions of the new life for women, the destruction of all things entertainment and education related, and the life of utter servitude to which these women were now reduced. Their "reduced circumstances" was a phrase that stuck with me. The book was a wake-up call to protect the freedom that we take for granted, because we are human and humans get used to any condition - dire or wonderful.
The story is gripping and unforgettable, mainly because I connected with the main character, even if I wish she'd tell me more - just more and more - about the circumstances and what happened, but you have to do the work you have to piece it together, and you have to keep going to find out why they are where they are. I loved the way Atwood can capture her character's inner conflict, turmoil, and desperate situation, and how she adapts to her own precious few options, and how she makes choices - or not - and what follows from those choices.
The ending? I was sitting at the airport lounge, rushing through it to see what happens and argh. I did not like the ending either - I saw this in a couple of other reviewers. I did not care for the whole future lecture hall reminiscing on the past historical records and the change in the story telling style. I'm choosing to translate that in my own way but I wish there were more before it ended - or to HOW it ended.
I can't tell you that it's a happy story, I can't tell you that it won't disgust you in parts, and I can't tell you why it was so unforgettable in a few words, I just know that it is a book I'll forever remember. Margaret Atwood is stunning and I'd listen to any audio book by Claire Danes. In fact, I'm off to check out The Blind Assassin among other works by Atwood right now.