Customer Reviews: Read 113 more reviews...
 How to do theocratic dystopia... August 12, 2008
Paul Kirby
A truly great book, particular for those who have cold feet about Speculative Fiction (aka Sci Fi). A post-apocalyptic take on loss, resistance, feminism and social order of the patriarchal kind, The Handmaid's Tale avoids both cliche and the pretensions that can often plague even the best of novels with political undertows. I can think of few books which so well capture the sense of radical transformation and dislocation that must come with what someone once called the 'orgasms of history', those decisive events that change utterly social structures and somehow drag individuals along with them, even though people remain dominated by much the same loves and hopes they always were. The evocations of ritual, ceremony and punishment are particularly disturbing and resonant, even viscerally so. And, despite creating a deeply believable metaphor both for those changes that have been and those yet to come, Atwood also accomplishes the 'page turner' quality usually reserved for shallow thrillers. Just shy of being a masterpiece.
Love this book! July 22, 2008
Miss S D Giblin
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
I read this novel for the first time last week and I loved it!! I couldn't put it down!!
 Disturbing and thought provoking. July 12, 2008
H. Pope
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
Having read `1984' and `Brave New World', I was convinced Margaret Atwood's tale of dystopia in 21st century America would do little to add to the stark pictures already painted so vividly by Huxley and Orwell. However to witness, which is what the reader is able to do thanks to her wonderfully descriptive prose, this world through the eyes of a female creates an entirely new perspective on a time when life is produced for its functionality alone. Atwood constructs a society where women are at the crux of all activity yet it is still governed by men - it is hard to say which gender takes precedence and who has more control. This is a harrowing tale where the disposability of women continually shocked me as well as the brutality of those in power. I can't give this book five stars however, despite the fact that I enjoyed it immensely, due to the ending which left me slightly disappointed; while it is clearly thought provoking, I felt slightly betrayed having come so far with one character. Still, a book well worth reading.
Almost fabulous June 28, 2008
D. R. Cantrell (London, United Kingdom)
0 out of 3 found this review helpful
God that was depressing! The author does a good job of bringing her character to life and describing the bizarre circumstances, it's just a shame that the end is so rushed and that it's not really finished.
 What is all the fuss about? May 19, 2008
C. L. Heffer (UK)
1 out of 6 found this review helpful
I really don't understand why so many people gave this book five stars- in my opinion a five star book is 100% perfect, good story and good writing- this is not one of those books. I had to read this for A level literature and despite being an avid reader I really did feel this was a struggle.
I can admit that the story, the concept, is a good idea. The themes are interesting, so how did it turn out to be such a boring read? Probably because of the writing, its awful and boring, it drags and I just could be bothered to read it, so much so that I skipped and skim read large parts despite having an exam on it.
In conclusion, good idea, rubbish to read.
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