Offred is a Handmaid in the Republic of Gilead. She may leave the home of the Commander and his wife once a day to walk to food markets whose signs are now pictures instead of words because women are no longer allowed to read. She must lie on her back once a month and pray that the Commander makes her pregnant, because in an age of declining fertility, Offred and the other Handmaids are valued only if their ovaries are viable. Offred can remember the years before, when she lived and made love with her husband, Luke; when she played with and protected her daughter; when she had a job, money of her own, and access to knowledge. But all of that is gone now...
Offred, is a Handmaid. She is sent to different homes for only one purpose, to produce a baby. This time she is with a Commander and his wife. Always doing as she is told she glides through this life while secretly hoping this will all end one day and things will go back to normal. With flashes of her previous life we get to see just how much her world has changed in a short span of time.
This book raises a lot of issues. Whether it be the oppression of women, or the strength of men or even the harm religious extremists can do to the world we live in, it made for a very interesting read.
I have heard a lot of people say this book was scary because of how close we are as a society to becoming this way. Maybe I am naive, but I, in no way, saw this. I know in some countries this happens or isn't far from the truth but I had a very hard time believing that it could happen here. Then again, this book was written in the 80's just after the whole '1984 panic'.
I had a hard time getting used to Atwood's writing style. I know the narrative was written in a way to sound like a persons own thoughts, but some of the sentence structures threw me off. There were many occasions I had to go back and re-read a paragraph because I didn't understand it. It is hard to tell who is talking about what when the author doesn't use quotation marks. After a few chapters, you do get used to it.
Atwood does have a talent for language. Her writing is beautiful and descriptive. The details were extraordinary. I wanted to keep reading, not just to see where the story goes but to, also, get the images she paints into my head. She did especially well with the voice of Ofred. I felt like I was walking in her soft, flat red shoes down the faded pink runner in the hallway.
I liked Ofred too. Even with everything that happened and was still happening to her, she held out hope. She is a survivor.
As for the ending, I was slightly disappointed. Once I thought about it, though, I liked that Atwood didn't go for the obvious happy ending.
This book would make for great discussions. Feminists would have a field day with it.
It is definitely worth the read.
4 out of 5 stars
BUY IT HERE:The Handmaid's Tale (Everyman's Library)
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