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The Handmaid's Tale is a radical departure for Margaret Atwood. Set in the near future, in a locale that oddly resembles Cambridge, Massachusetts, it describes life in what was once the United States. Now, however, it has become the Republic of Gilead, a monolithic theocracy that has reacted to social unrest and a sharply declining birthrate by reverting to the repressive intolerance of the original Puritans, and has gone far beyond them. This regime takes the Book of Genesis absolutely at its word, with bizarre consequences for women, and for men as well.
The story is told through the eyes of Offred, one of the unfortunate "Handmaids" under the new social order. In condensed but eloquent prose, by turns cool-eyed, tender, despairing, passionate, and wry, she reveals to us the dark corners behind the establishment's calm facade, as certain tendencies now in existence are carried to their logical conclusions.
The Handmaid's Tale is A Clockwork Orange as seen by women: unexpected, funny, horrifying, and altogether convincing. the book is at once a mordant satire and a dire warning. this is Atwood in top form.
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Man-woman relationships, Misogyny, Fiction, Women, Protected DAISY, In library, Large type books, Accessible book, Dystopias, brothels, Scrabble, Christian fundamentalism, revolution, military dictatorship, Old Testament, religious fanaticism, totalitarianism, theonomy, handmaids, United States Congress, fantasy fiction, Canadian fantasy fiction, Dystopian fiction, Canadian authors, theocracy, pregnancy, political fiction, science fictionPeople
Offred, Commanders, Rachel, Bilhah, Aunts, Handmaids, Marthas, Econowives, Moira, Serena Joy, Ofglen, Nick, Eyes of God, Luke, Professor PieixotoBook Details
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Feedback?November 11, 2021 | Edited by AgentSapphire | Merge works |
November 11, 2021 | Edited by AgentSapphire | reverted to revision 1 |
November 11, 2021 | Edited by AgentSapphire | Merge works |
February 13, 2020 | Edited by MARC Bot | remove fake subjects |
May 17, 2019 | Edited by Lisa | Edited without comment. |