The Handmaid's Tale

I finished the Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood a few weeks ago and I'm not really sure what I thought of it. I kept waiting for the author to really explain what kind of society this women were a part of and what the time period was for this story or offer some sort of background and explanation for why the women were divided into what seemed like casts but she never really did. By the end, I realized that wasn't the way this story was meant to be told or understood, so when it was over, I was left a little fuzzy.

If you aren't familiar with the story, I'll use a sentence from Wikipedia to explain the subject:

The Handmaid's Tale explores themes of women in subjugation to misogyny in a patriarchal society and the various means by which these women attempt to gain individualism and independence. 

It's a really hard subject to read about - women being used as sexual servants for the purpose of procreation - there is nothing positive about it. The book is considered a classic and on recommended reading lists for high school and colleges, and has received many awards; it was written in 1985. I had never heard of it until this year . . . where have I been?

I'm glad I read it, even if I didn't especially like the life the Handmaids lived or the scenes that unfolded; it was an interesting read and a topic worth thinking over.

I finished the Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood a few weeks ago and I'm not really sure what I thought of it. I kept waiting for the author to really explain what kind of society this women were a part of and what the time period was for this story or offer some sort of background and explanation for why the women were divided into what seemed like casts but she never really did. By the end, I realized that wasn't the way this story was meant to be told or understood, so when it was over, I was left a little fuzzy.

If you aren't familiar with the story, I'll use a sentence from Wikipedia to explain the subject:

The Handmaid's Tale explores themes of women in subjugation to misogyny in a patriarchal society and the various means by which these women attempt to gain individualism and independence. 

It's a really hard subject to read about - women being used as sexual servants for the purpose of procreation - there is nothing positive about it. The book is considered a classic and on recommended reading lists for high school and colleges, and has received many awards; it was written in 1985. I had never heard of it until this year . . . where have I been?

I'm glad I read it, even if I didn't especially like the life the Handmaids lived or the scenes that unfolded; it was an interesting read and a topic worth thinking over.