The Handmaid's Tale

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Margaret Atwood: The Handmaid's Tale (Paperback, 1987, Virago)

Paperback, 324 pages

English language

Published Nov. 13, 1987 by Virago.

ISBN:
978-1-85381-174-6
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OCLC Number:
55563424

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5 stars (3 reviews)

The Republic of Gilead allows Offred only one function; to breed. If she deviates, she will, like all dissenters, be hanged at the wall or sent out to die slowly of radioation sickness. But even a repressive state cannot obliterate desire--neigher Offred's nor that of the two men on whom her future hangs... --back cover

46 editions

Captivating dystopia

4 stars

I have not watched the TV series based on the book before reading it. I prefer it in that order. I was caught up in the story from the first few pages. It describes a dystopian future regime in the former United States with very strict rules and control and abundant capital punishment for those who step a bit out of line. The story has chilling similarities to some of what I read about present-day conservative America.

a classic

5 stars

I read this classic just two years ago. It felt more relevant to the present than it may have been when it was written. This book is a revolutionary milestone in speculative fiction and probably feminist literature as well, but I found equally interesting that the text is based on progressive loss of innocence. The final chapter is incredible and left me very satisfied.