Imagine being a woman trapped in a future society with no freedom. In this society, you have no rights and reproducing is your only value. If you are unable to reproduce and you’re not married to a man with status, then you will be required to serve those with status. If you can reproduce, you become a Handmaid (AKA a baby maker) to a family unable to have children. This book follows the journey of Offered, a woman stripped of her life, family, and identity.
I found this book to be dark, sad, dystopian, and also beautifully written. The character development, even for the secondary characters, is incredible. I felt for all of them, even the unlikeable ones. The plot was also immersive, and I had a real sense of the veil of darkness over the city of Gilead, where the story takes place.
Although Offered narrates her story out of sequence, I didn’t struggle to follow it like I sometimes can with this format. I loved being immersed in her journey and experiencing the ebb and flow of her hope, anger, and acceptance. Even though they seem to be, nobody in Gilead is perfect. Many characters are breaking the rules in either desperation to survive, to derive some pleasure from life, or to have children.
I enjoyed the ending, even if it was left up to the reader’s interpretation. I’d also love to hear what others think happened to Offred.
Even if you’ve seen this series, I recommend reading this book. Since I had seen most of the series, I did not plan to read this book, but I’m so glad I did! If we included half stars in our scale, then this book would get 4.5 stars from me. Praise Be!
Favorite Quote
The tension between her lack of control and her attempt to suppress it is horrible. It’s like a fart in church.
Margaret Atwood – The Handmaid’s Tale
This is my favorite quote from the book. Atwood has a way of inserting humor in situations even when it doesn’t belong (like the whole book), and I loved this aspect of Offred’s personality.