The Handmaid's Tale

A real pleasure to reread this after 27 years; doing so in the context of its successor, The Testaments, coming up. The good news is that The Handmaid's Tale has undoubtedly stood the test of time. It remains highly relevant and can also be considered prescient in the context of growing (religious) fundamentalism/extremism in the U.S. What's notable, however, is that Atwood's writing style has evolved since this work, with the Oryx and Crake trilogy probably showing Atwood at her best. There is a lot to like stylistically about The Handmaid's Tale, but the final chapters seem somewhat rushed; the narrative concluding with almost indecent haste. Beyond trying to regard this work through anything other than the lens of an A-level student (those memories were still there), what stood out about this rereading was (1) Offred's mordant sense of humour despite her unfortunate situation; (2) how easy it is to take things (the current liberal existence) for granted, and just how scarily quickly liberties can be rescinded by authoritarians. Essential reading. 9/10.

By Margaret Atwood