Classic Friday (4): The Handmaid's Tale

Title: The Handmaid's Tale
Author: Margaret Atwood
PAPERBACK
Amount of Pages: 311
Publisher: Anchor
Release Date: March 16, 1998
Geared Towards: Teens
Extra Info: The first publication was from McClelland & Stewart in 1985.

"She did not say: Because they will have no memories, of any other way.

She said: Because they won't want things they can't have."

Summary: Offred lives in the Republic of Gilead (The United States until it was taken over) as a Handmaid. In this Republic, the handmaids are assigned to Commanders and their wives who are unable to produce children, every month the handmaids must lie down and have the Commanders make them pregnant. Offred still remembers the time before where she lived with her husband Luke and had her own daughter, when she had her own job and her own money supply, but now all of those have been stripped away from her as she is made to serve the Republic and her Commander. But there might, just might, be a little bit of hope left...
Wdebo's Review: I always enjoy dystopian style books, so when I saw this book on a list to read for my Summer homework I was quite excited to choose it, and I am very glad I did.

At first, the book was pretty good. There was that shock like, Oh wow, how could a society be like that? And it made you want to read more and more and delve into this world, but after a bit it seemed to get a little slow, and it was hard to continue, but after about the midpoint it picked up again and just got really addicitng especially the last part, which was so hard to put down because all of this stuff just came flying at Offred and it made you wonder how she would get through it all.

This novel really made me think a lot, about oppression and the beauty of freedom. It made me very freaked out reading it, but I still could not put it down, because I really wanted to see how it ended. The ending was very 1984...but with more of a kick...haha women rule :)

I was not the biggest fan of Offred, because she is very conforming and though there was some spunk in her in the middle, it was quickly wiped away, but I guess I can't hate her that much, because I would have been just like her if I was in her place.

Cafe Cover Chat: This cover isn't that bad, but the very first cover scared the crap out of me...two words...scary.baby. Click HERE to see the scary picture~ (B)

All in all, a very well written book, that is sure to scare it's readers and make us all thankful that we live in this un-perfect perfect world.

Grade: A-

Wdebo :)