The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood is so
chillingly apt for our 2017 lives. Crap. I have chills. It was written in
1986 and I have to say Atwood is freaking brilliant, prescient, and oh so wise.
It has had a resurgence thanks to a production on Hulu (which I have not seen.
It stars Elizabeth Moss - an excellent actress). Anyway – this book
is very worthy of a read. It was our book club pick and I can’t wait to discuss
it with my friends.
From the back blurb: Offred is a Handmaid in the
Republic of Gilead. She may only leave the Commander’s home once a day to walk
to the food market. Women are no longer allowed to read. Women no longer have
access to money. She has to pray that the Commander impregnates her. She is
valued only because her ovaries are viable. She can remember the years before,
when she lived and made love to her husband, played and protected her daughter,
had a job, money, and access to knowledge. All that is gone now…
Read and find out what happens. Review the life she
remembers, how she exists now, and what is possible…if anything.
Atwood has created a world that is horrific and possible.
Her vision is amazing and her writing is genius. I read this and shall turn
around and re-read it. Wow. It blew my mind. Quite profound.
I dog-eared this whole book.
p. 64 I’ve learned to do without a lot of things.
If you have a lot, you get too attached to this material world and you forget
about spiritual values. You must cultivate poverty of spirit.
p.94 What’s going on…has nothing to do with passion or
love or romance…it has nothing to do with sexual desire
p.135 Maybe it’s about who can do what to whom and
be forgiven for it
p.193 The moment of betrayal is the worse, the
moment when you know beyond any doubt that you’ve been betrayed: that some
other human being has wished you that much evil.
The Handmaid’s Tale is absolutely one of the best
books I’ve ever read. Get it. Read it. Think. And re-read it. And
re-read it. Discuss. Dang!!!
Great review Joanne. Hope it sells well.
ReplyDeleteYvonne.
Been around a long time and is back in the news again
DeleteI'll have to put this on my amazon list! I've heard a lot about the show....everyone who watches it, loves it.
ReplyDeleteThe book is chilling. Great writing
DeleteI've heard it was really good and the show turned out good too. One that makes you want to re-read and chat sure has to be good indeed.
ReplyDeleteVery apt for the world today. Worthy of chat
DeleteThis sounds really interesting.
ReplyDeleteBetty
Book club worthy
DeleteI've only seen the original movie. Very bleak outlook.
ReplyDeleteindeed. It's tough to fathom and yet, some choices our government is making these days makes some things possible
DeleteWow and Yikes!
ReplyDeleteexactly. Read and weep, or read and rally for the future.
DeleteWow! That's the most enthusiastic book endorsement I've ever seen! Okay, you've convinced me. This one definitely goes onto my must-read list. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteIt is a serious makes you think read
DeleteI read it in 2001 (I used to keep a Book Diary - wish I hadn't stopped!). Time to go back and re-read, I think. The TV series just ended in the UK last night but I didn't see it. Now I need to look for it on one of the catch-up sources.
ReplyDeleteCLICK HERE for Bazza’s adroit Blog ‘To Discover Ice’
Lots of folks are rereading. This was my first exposure
DeleteI have been hearing a great deal about the production of this, but I haven't seen it. Thanks for the review. Sounds fantastic!
ReplyDeleteIt is a Should read and Glad you did read book. Not light. But so well written
Delete