Rating: 
Summary: horrifying
Review: This book scared me more than any story from Stephen King or Dean Koontz ever could. It was difficult to read because a voice in the back of my mind kept whispering, "This could really happen, this could really happen." Even in America, where we feel so secure in our freedom, we are only steps away from a society like Gilead. The religious right, with their cries for a Return to Morality and their efforts to bring prayer back into school, bring us ever closer to Gilead each time they attempt to diminish the separation between Church and State. Other things Atwood mentioned in The Handmaid's Tale are actually occuring NOW: the controversial list on the Internet of Abortion providers, "for a future reckoning." Dr. Laura, who could be Serena Joy, preaching the value of women staying at home and being the obedient sex. If there's anything we should take away from Atwood's book it is a sense of caution, and a will to fight every loss of freedom no matter how small or inconcequential it may seem. Societies do indeed fall in degrees.
Rating: 
Summary: Good start, dull end but it gets me thinking
Review: The Handmaid's Tale starts as a promising book. It got me reading up to page 100 in almost one time. However then it becomes more and more the same thing over and over again. To the end of the book it appeared to me that this was not a science fiction book but an alibi for the author to put down her own frustrations about the male part of the world. I read the book through the end but I was really glad it was finished another 20 pages of this I would not have read. On the other hand this book gave me the happy feeling being in Belgium far from the land where Moral Majorities and other Religieus fanatics try to get grip on society. I hope every Prime Minister of President reads this and bans every form of fanatical (religieus based) intolerance.
Rating:
Summary: a great book!
Review: I thought that The Handmaid's Tale was an incredible book. I think that Atwood made many comparisons and analogies to actual events and occurrences in her book. One such comparison is to the Holocaust. The narrator (later renamed Offred) was somewhat oblivious to the changes going on in her world just before the Gileadean revolution took place-- just like many people did not pay much attention to the things that were being done to non-Aryans just before the Concentration Camps, etc were constructed. Another important analogy in The Handmaid's Tale is obvious-- Atwood has created Gilead to mirror Puritan society. There are many proofs of this comparison-- the existence of a theocracy, the prevalence of public punishment ceremonies, the labeling of anyone who does not readily conform to the standard codes of behavior of the society.. the list goes on and on. Thirdly, Atwood creates an analogy between an overly-leftist society and a society which is severly dominated by the Religious Right. Atwood shows that these societies are both dangerous-- the overly-leftist society led to the inception of Gilead, an oppressive, reactionary theocracy. Aesthetically, I thought the book was amazing. I love the way in which Atwood uses minute details to convey a huge impact. And the book was creative temporally as well, effectively and effortlessly shifting between different times and places. I never had any problems following along with the story. A few people have said that The Handmaid's Tale moved slowly at first, and I disagree with that. From the first pages of the novel, I was sucked into Offred's story and could hardly put the book down. The Handmaid's Tale is truly an important novel for everyone to read-- I think that Atwood wonderfully constructed a story that cautions us against assuming that history cannot repeat itself and I highly recommend this book.
Rating:
Summary: the most actual distopic novel
Review: While Nazism and Stalinsm has fallen and the actuality of 1984 is not so evident (also if existent) today, you can see the Gilead's republic as a real nightmare in our close future. Just listen to common people (on the busses or in the pubs) while talking about the 'degeneration of the new generations', the 'loss of moral values in our days' and so long and think if just one of them could have the complete political power in his hands. It's not necessary to be a woman to understand this novel.
Rating:
Summary: Read this book more than once.
Review: I purchased this book in 1991, and was fascinated by the intricate writing style, the discomforting plot, and Atwood's poetic use of language. The Historical Notes caused further discomfort -- all too often, governments and academia are willing to say, "We are here not to judge, but to understand," thereby reducing horrific violations of women to a question of "cultural differences". Read this book once, and you will be enthralled by the plot, and feel angry at the "Christian" right. Read this book twice, and you will be mesmerized by Atwood's incredible writing; the details suddenly jump out at you, and the mundane items of a domestic setting (a hard-boiled egg, a discarded needlepoint cushion) will take on new meanings, new shadings. This time, you may see a dim but recognizable reflection of life, future, present, and as it ever was.
Rating: 
Summary: dull,but futuristic
Review: well all i have to say about this book is that to me it sucked. no matter how futuristic it got or how good it attempted to get it just couldn't hold my interest. the historical notes did alot for me but it still didn't make me remember this book. definitly not one of my favorites. i wouldn't ever read this book again i can tell u that for a fact. jacki.a
Rating:
Summary: new twist on dystopias
Review: It's about time someone wrote a dystopia from a female perspective. Governments are usually run by men who don't think for a minute about being a woman, which causes law-making to be biased. If this situation would ever arise in our society, one can be sure of who would take over, and who would be left to obscurity. Atwood has taken writing to a form of the highest art, with her amazing word twists and mind games. Probably my favorite dystopian novel, in which the main character has not only a brain, but an imagination and a memory.
Rating:
Summary: An extremely well written book!
Review: I really enjoyed reading this book. It was one of those books you get so wrapped up in that when your done reading it you are depressed because its over. This book took over my life in some ways and made me look at everyday life without the blinders on that we all have. Margaret Atwood is a truly respectable writer.She knows what the reader wants and what they don't expect.This book was a interesting adventure.If her other books are as admirable as this one, she will have a new fan!
Rating:
Summary: imagination=good
Review: This book was pretty good, I was impressed by the creative plot. It held my attention the whole time but it just seemed to be plot throughout the entire book. Nothing really seemed to happen. I did like 1984esque. But only revolving around women and their fertility. how creative
Rating: 
Summary: By the end, it was impossible to continue...
Review: When I first started reading, I enjoyed the beginning. It captivated me and I expected a really good, developed story. However, as I continued, the monotany and general boredom took over my thoughts and the book became a horrible chore to read. Margaret Atwood also drove me up the wall with her lack of astounding vocabulary. She never diversified her words. By the end of the novel, I was thoroughly disappointed and I refused to read the historical notes. I didn't feel like going through the epitomy of boredom for another 20 pages.
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