The Handmaid's Tale

Rating:
Summary: Fear the Future
Review: This novel, the first I have read by Atwood, captured my attention quickly with its first person narrative and distict jumps in time. The confusion I sometimes felt as the audience, is nothing compared to the confusion and horror protagonist Offred goes through. I am not a fan of sci-fi yet I thought the futuristic vision Atwood creates of humanties inhumanties as chilling. The Republic of Gilead claims to honor women in their enforced creation of a sisterhood. What this futuristic government accomplishes is degrading women even more so than the violent rapes women were experiencing in pre-Gilead days. An excellent book for a women's discussion group.

Rating:
Summary: A Horrifying Vision
Review: Just an incredible work. This was a nightmarish dystopian scenario filled with archetypal images and characters that will stay with me for a while. The author creates a fully realized social structure of Commanders and Guardians, Wives, Aunts, Handmaids, Marthas and unWomen, Eyes in black vans and underground May Day abolitionists. Even as I was enthralled by the narrative, I was increasingly heartsick at the level of inhumanity depicted in this world. The crucial epilogue, presented as a piece of historical scholarship, ties everything together and supplies many of the political details lacking in the first-person narrative. In fact my only criticism would be that some of these details of context are not explained earlier. The historical perspective also reminds us that, before we dismiss Atwood's vision as impossibly grim, we recognize that such models of brutality and gender subjugation exist even today in totalitarian regimes like Iran.

Rating:
Summary: Not very good, but okay
Review: Atwood deserves to be on the Wall. Just kidding, but basically, the book put me to sleep. I disliked the way she kept flashing back and forth between her memories and the present time. The ending left you hanging, which I REALLY HATED. If I hadn't been forced to read it, I never would have given it a second glance. The movie is better.

Rating:
Summary: This book really makes a reader think.
Review: In this book, the author uses an incredible style to convey a point of confusion and wonder to the readers. I really like the story in the book and the hinted ideas throught it. Even though at some places the book is difficult to read and understand. It is obvious that everything in this book is done intentionally for one reason or another. Overall I think this book is a great one and a must read for anyone who likes books that get your mind working.

Rating:
Summary: A very good read, thought-provoking
Review: I enjoyed reading this book immensely. While slow at times, I felt the protrayal of Offred's life convincing and realistic. Although I doubt that the future described here could actually come about, it serves as a warning about what could happen if certain cultural trends run amuck. Over-all I would recommend this book to all science fiction fans who appreciate an intelligent read.

Rating:
Summary: A novel to be reckoned with
Review: This novel is one of the dreariest novels I have ever read. It even goes into describing the flies on the wall. I had to read this novel for my English class in my final year of high school and I would sure feel sorry for the poor buggers that still have to read it. Im sorry Atwood, but you're a dreamer. Your day dreaming when you write hardly does your hypothesis any justice. My advice to readers is to read things that are presented that way you would like to read them. If you have no life, go ahead and read all of Atwood's novels.

Rating:
Summary: A appaulingly unplausible novel covering a beatin topic
Review: The skills of the writer lacked to the point of boredum and her attempt at establishing a stable premise at which to convey the ways in which this ridiculus world came about are not present. Socialogical factors are not even represented throughly. Reading the novel you need to forget about 80% of the population. And if i have to read one more book about social roles god save us all

Rating:
Summary: The book was difficult to put down once I started reading it
Review: The Handmaid's Tale is a very entertaining book. Between readings it was difficult not to wonder about what was going to happen next. The book also sends a very powerful message to the masses about the dangers that await inside a society that at times takes it's freedom for granted.

Rating:
Summary: Dull, far fetched
Review: A book based on thought process should somewhat resemble what one is actually like.

Rating:
Summary: Incredible
Review: Every man, every woman on this planet should read this book...period