An instant classic and eerily prescient cultural phenomenon, from “the patron saint of feminist dystopian fiction” (New York Times). Now an award-winning Hulu series starring Elizabeth Moss.

In this multi-award-winning, bestselling novel, Margaret Atwood has created a stunning Orwellian vision of the near future. This is the story of Offred, one of the unfortunate “Handmaids” under the new social order who have only one purpose: to breed. In Gilead, where women are prohibited from holding jobs, reading, and forming friendships, Offred’ s persistent memories of life in the “time before” and her will to survive are acts of rebellion. Provocative, startling, prophetic, and with Margaret Atwood’s devastating irony, wit, and acute perceptive powers in full force, The Handmaid’s Tale is at once a mordant satire and a dire warning.

So I’m taking part in a personal reading challenge. It’ll motivate me to get some books read that I wouldn’t normally read. I don’t think any of them are romance but I’ll review them anyway of course. This challenge is 40 books every woman should read before she turns 40. I have a year and a bit, so I have some time at least.

This book. Oy.

Now, if you’ve watched the show, you obviously know what this book is about. I’m sad to say that I never even heard of this author or this book until I was told about the show. So I watched the show first.

While a few things are different from the book to the show, you get the idea of what’s going on.

This book is about June or Ofred, who’s the main character and tells the story through her point of view. It’s a dystopian type world now, as a government has taken over. Women’s choices are stripped from them. If you’re fertile, you’re used for babies. If you’re not, you’re sent off to do who knows what. Some are Marthas, which means they cook and clean and take care of the house.

What sets this book/story apart from the rest is how different it is but at the same time, especially with things happening in the world now, it’s almost like a prediction in a way.

I won’t get all preachy or bring up worldy politics and stuff – not that I know much about that anyway – but I will say that this book, the story within this book, is one of the scariest things I have ever read. Why you ask? It’s not a thriller or a horror, Jo! I know right? What makes it scary is that it could actually happen. Maybe not exactly like what happens in the book of course but something similar could definitely take place.

I haven’t read book 2 yet but I most certainly will! But first, on to book 2 of this challenge!

Happy reading, friends!

Available on Amazon: https://tinyurl.com/yjw5dsjb