Title: The Handmaid's Tale
Author: Margaret Atwood
Genre: Fiction; Classics; Science Fiction; Dystopia; Feminism; Fantasy; Literature; Adult Fiction
Goodreads Rating: 4.03/ 5 stars
My Rating: 5/5
Pages: 311 ( Paperback )
Publisher: Anchor Books
Published: March 16, 1998 ( Original Publication: 1985)
Summary: Offred is a Handmaid in the Republic of Gilead. She may leave the home of the Commander and his wife once a day to walk to food markets whose signs are now pictures instead of words because women are no longer allowed to read. She must lie on her back once a month and pray that the Commander makes her pregnant, because in an age of declining births, Offred and the other Handmaids are valued only if their ovaries are viable. Offred can remember the years before, when she lived and made love with her husband, Luke; when she played with and protected her daughter; when she had a job, money of her own, and access to knowledge. But all of that is gone now...
"We lived, as usual, by ignoring. Ignoring isn't the same as ignorance, you have to work at it."
Margaret Atwood is an author I've heard mentioned countless times before, from readers of all genres. And now I finally understand why she is as beloved and praised as she is. The flow of her writing is wonderfully steady - not too slow and not too fast. Her excellent pacing creates an engaging atmosphere and cast of characters. I was pleasantly surprised when I found that it was difficult for me to put The Handmaid's Tale down.
"I avoid looking down at my body, not so much because it's shameful or immodest but because I don't want to see it. I don't want to look at something that determines me so completely."
I absolutely loved the story, the characters, and the conflicts that Atwood created; but, what struck me as the most moving and unforgettable was Atwood's insight into feminism, oppression, freedom, the power of memory, and the will of the mind. Not only did Atwood show the world its shortcomings, prejudices, and shame, but Atwood also showed the world how hate, fear, ignorance, and apathy are at the core of true wickedness. Atwood created a novel that instills a sense of authentic courage in the readers who choose to read with open minds and open hearts.
"Someone must be out there, taking care of things. I believe in resistance as I believe there can be no light without shadow; or rather, no shadow unless there is also light."
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- Anisa
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