The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood Review

The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Where do I even start with this review? It's probably important to note that this book is definitely controversial, and the Goodreads community had given it mixed reviews (which really isn't shocking based on the subject matter being presented). I'm not one to read reviews before writing my own, but I was curious to see what others thought; and I'm still not 100% sure what to make of all the conflicting opinions/ reviews.

Some people get hung up on the grammatical aspects (or possibly Atwood's writing style?), thus missing the overall purpose of this story. Our narrator is UNRELIABLE- she says multiple times through her account that it may not be accurate and she doesn't even want to be recounting what transpired. She is not meant to be trusted completely. Additionally, she is only one voice, and therefore only has one perspective of the society as a whole, the actions of those around her, etc. etc. Yes, there are a lot of unanswered questions, and we really don't have a "proper ending." That's the point. You're meant to question everything.

If you don't ask questions and you take what everyone says for gospel, we will end up creating the culture and society presented in the book. Don't just blindly follow what someone else is telling you. Don't accept all things as fact until you have the evidence to prove it. Even then, be cautious.

In my opinion, Atwood's overarching goal is to make the reader question every single detail given to them. I haven't read anything quiet like this, even though I have read my fair share of dystopian novels. It's unlike anything else, and for good reason.

I'm not even going to get into the political side of this, simply because I don't feel qualified enough to do so. Political science is not my strong suit. I would love to have my poli-sci minded boyfriend read this and pick his brain for more information. If that does end up happening, I'll update this review!

Anyway, I highly recommend this to anyone and everyone. It should be a requirement for high school or college level classes (assuming the students are mature enough to handle the content), in my humble opinion. Honestly, give it a try, especially if you're interested in watching the Hulu series!

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