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Please Note: I received an advance audio copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This did not influence the opinions in my review in any way.
Synopsis (from Goodreads):
In this brilliant sequel to The Handmaid's Tale, acclaimed author Margaret Atwood answers the questions that have tantalized readers for decades.
When the van door slammed on Offred's future at the end of The Handmaid's Tale, readers had no way of telling what lay ahead for her--freedom, prison or death.
With The Testaments, the wait is over.
Margaret Atwood's sequel picks up the story more than fifteen years after Offred stepped into the unknown, with the explosive testaments of three female narrators from Gilead.
"Dear Readers: Everything you've ever asked me about Gilead and its inner workings is the inspiration for this book. Well, almost everything! The other inspiration is the world we've been living in."
Review:
The Handmaid's Tale, by Margaret Atwood, is one of my all-time favorite books. I read it about 30 years ago as a young woman. It is one of the few novels I have kept over the years and read again and again. The Testaments (co-winner of the Booker Man Prize) is a very satisfying follow up of the classic. It is a more in depth look at Gilead, as seen through the eyes of three very different women. And it's themes continue to be relevant to today.
What I Liked:
Narration:I was lucky enough to listen to the audiobook of The Testaments, and as it is performed by a full cast, it is a delight. My favorite narrator is easily that of Ann Dowd, who portrays founding Aunt Lydia. Her voice is rich with age and sarcasm. We hear her weariness as she recounts the small (and giant) ways she compromised in order to survive. I could listen to her all day long, she is so compelling.
Characters:
The three main characters, Aunt Lydia, Agnes, and Daisy, show us various aspects of Gilead society. Lydia is one of the founding "Aunts" who enforce strict female gender roles on women. Her character shows us the origins of Gilead.
Agnes is the favored daughter of a Commander and is planning to become a Wife. Her role in the book is to show how life is for young woman in the present. Even though she is not a handmaid, her life is far from favored. Every plan for her is meant to prepare her as a prize for a Commander. After knowing her story, we can see that no woman has any real value in Gilead.
Daisy is an outside character living in Canada. We don't know why she is part of the narrative at first. She provides the outside perspective of how people living outside America must see Gilead. This is really fascinating. I was reminded of how this might be like how an Abolitionist in 1850's America might look at slavery in the South.
In-depth look into Gilead:
In The Handmaid's Tale, we only have a limited perspective of what Gilead is about. The Testaments goes deep into the origins and process of how Gilead came into being. It really is scary how the rights of women, for the most part taken for granted, are stripped away with most people barely objecting. This is eerily similar to events in real life. Does this occur out of apathy or fear?
Story:
The story follows Agnes as she grows up as a young woman in Gilead. She is being groomed to lead the life of a Commander's wife. She actually looks forward to it at first. But a tragedy has left her motherless and now she is unsure of her future.
As Lydia narrates the past, she also is affecting the present time in the novel. She will have her revenge on those who have hurt her. Her plots take decades to mature, but when they do, they may blow up all of Gilead.
Daisy, at first, doesn't seem to fit in the story, but that quickly changes. her role is really exciting to behold.
Themes:
When I read The Handmaid's Tale, the idea that women might lose hard won rights seemed unimaginable. But as we see reproductive rights being challenged in real life, the world of Gilead seems somewhat more possible than I am comfortable with. And that is the point of the book. When people are afraid, they will cede rights in order to feel more secure. This can be exploited by those who have authoritarian tendencies to seize power.
Rating:
Release Date: September 10th, 2019
Genre: Speculative Fiction
Author: Margaret Atwood
Print Publisher: Nan A. Talese
Page Length: 422 pages
Audio Book Publisher: Random House Audio
Narrators: Ann Dowd, Bryce Dallas Howard, and Mae Whitman, with Derek Jacoby, Tantoo Cardinal, and the author.
Audio Length: 13 Hrs, 19 Min.
Source: Random House Audio
Format: Audio Book
Recommendation: A stirring reminder that democracies can become authoritarian governments with just a little nudge. A very satisfying novel.
The Handmaid’s Tale is one of my favorites, too! I haven’t read The Testaments yet, but it’s on my Christmas list, so maybe I’ll get to read it next year. I’m glad you enjoyed it.
ReplyDeleteAj @ Read All The Things!