The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood is often seen as the go-to book for feminist literature. Published in 1985, it makes numerous “must read” lists; upon reading it, I can see why.
Offred is a handmaid—that is, her only function is to breed–in the republic of Gilead, an extremely oppressive, patriarchal society that has taken over the United States over a period of a few years. The novel follows her perspective and reminisces of past times as she navigates within the boundaries of her current life.
The language used in The Handmaid’s Tale is gritty, quiet, intense. The dystopian reality is portrayed at its most extreme, yet the quiet, observant, outwardly subservient quality of the narrator provides an odd, haunting twist to the novel.
However, it was difficult to get into the premise of the book. While the dystopian setting was there, it just was, without any kind of logic backing it up. It’s hard to believe that society could go from burning bras to condemning any type of autonomous function for women, over a couple of years and at the United States, at that. Because of this, the plot of the book felt contrived and fanatical, at best.
~3 stars.
