Brianna’s Reviews > The Handmaid's Tale > Status Update

The Handmaid’s Tale introduced a world that was bleak and utilitarian. This book is a great example of an unreliable narrator; not that I don’t trust what Offred says but because she is a human living history and she herself even admits to not remember things and embellishing. So it makes sense that the story may feel like there are narrative holes from time to time. This is a book worth reading and discussing.

This book was so obviously written by a woman because she has touched on fears I didn’t even realize I had. The scariest part is that Atwood puts in words what most women fear- it could happen at anytime and it would be easy because half the population would feel that “it was the right thing to do”. The narrator’s duality- from anger to acceptance or self-preservation to suicidal- feel so absolutely HUMAN.

I’m torn between being annoyed when I don’t know exactly what’s going on and enjoying the slow world building happening around me. Giving the reader a path of breadcrumbs that’s slowly building into a terrifying new world can be hard to pace well. But the pacing so far has been immaculate.

I’m scared by how easy it is to imagine the world being presented in this book. Obviously, one wants it to feel far fetched and even too nihilistic BUT the things being described are not hard to imagine. Maybe there’s an artistic flourish here or a dramatic touch there but so far the reality that The Handmaids Tale is presenting doesn’t sound completely ludicrous. And that makes this scary.

This writing style is intriguing- unique without being confusing. Although at first the lack of quotations around certain things confused me but I think I’m catching on now. I’ve barely started the book but I’m riveted. And also scared- this is going to be an emotional and most likely devastating ride.