The Testaments: A Novel (The Handmaid's Tale) Paperback – September 1, 2020

After reading Handmaids tale 40 years ago in my senior year in high school, I so wished there was a sequel. I have watched all of the seasons of the Handmaids Tale and loved it all. I felt it was time to read The Testaments. It gave me everything I needed! Love it!!

I can’t wait for the series to be on Hulu. This book was excellent and gave a totally different understanding of Aunt Lydia. I don’t want to ruin anything for someone who hasn’t read this, but if you’re a fan of Handmaid’s Tale, you’ll love this book.

Sequel to "The Handmaid's Tale." Less realistic than previous novel.

Great read kept me engaged throughout the book. Fitting end to the hands maid tale. Would highly recommend that you read it.

Fantastic book! I didn't want to put it down! Characters are deeply designed to make you want more from them.

Truly one of the most heart stopping books. The best sequel and story could have.

When an iconic and feminist dystopian novel from over 30 years ago that envisioned a world where women had no control over any area of their lives or bodies is succeeded by a long-awaited sequel, three questions need to be asked: is the novel as good as Handmaid’s Tale? Is it worth reading? Does if offer up parallels to the sorry state of what is going on today?The answers are: No. Yes. And sort of.No, it is not as brilliant as Handmaid’s Tale, which will certainly be viewed as a classic in future generations. The Republic of Gilead, predicting an alarming future based on the theocracy of Gilead and the use of “immoral” females to produce babies for upper echelon barren couples was shocking and disturbing when it was first published. The recent Hulu series captures visually the horror that accompanied the creation of Gilead.Yes, it is worth reading. This is, after all, Margaret Atwood, who is genetically incapable of writing a bad book. However, in this book, unlike her former novel, she errs toward the cinematic. I can already envision how many of the action and adventure scenes will play out on the small screen. There is a lot of foreshadowing, and any alert reader will be able to guess who the spy in Gilead is and how the plot will play out in the end.Three story threads are pursued: there are two women who pay witness, a Gilead citizen who is about to be married to the fearful Commander Judd, and a Canadian girl who will loom large as the story progresses. The third narrative, addressed directly to the reader, is from Aunt Lydia, who fills in her background (how did she become Aunt Lydia?) and catches the reader up on what has progressed since we’ve last made her acquaintance.Two of these narratives work: the Gilead witness and Aunt Lydia’s. The third does not. Without providing major spoilers, I will say that it is unlikely for a sheltered 16 year old girl who has undergone tremendous trauma to suddenly be placed in a position where the entire trajectory of history may be riding upon her. There are many reasons for my skepticism, which many astute readers will certainly understand upon reading the book.Now for the “sorta of”. Anyone who has followed politics—here and abroad—will obviously be dismayed how blithely too many people accept the erosion of women’s rights. From the vicious attacks on freedom to choose (and even freedom to have easy access to birth control and family planning) to the demotion of women to second-class citizens, needing to cover their hair and bodies with black robes and ask permission to even leave the house, some male-headed governments have become a disgrace. To view how this scenario plays out in its extreme, The Testaments gives – well, testimony from women who are affected by these heinous man-made laws, couched in religious rhetoric.But, do not expect the book to be an anti-administration book that inserts itself into the current day politics in America. Put another way, the book is not anti-Trump as much as it is “anti” what his administration, and many others, represent.Read it. I suspect you’ll be absorbed as I was. The 400+ pages whiz by. But don’t expect a literary book of Handmaid’s Tale caliber. This is more of a commercial book, designed to pull in both literary and mass readers. The entertainment factor may very well equal the message factor. When you modify your expectations, it’s a worthwhile read.

Love this dystopian world I was brought to and how strength can pull you through, even if some events have to be evil.