Ever since I could read, I have been devouring books like candy. From Crockett Johnson’s Harold and the Purple Crayon to Homer’s The Odyssey, I like to think I have some experience reading. In this column, I’m going to review books read in my current English classes. Currently, I am in Advanced English III, and we have read a diverse range of books, including Toni Morrison’s Sula and Alicia Partnoy’s The Little School. I’m here to tell you my honest opinion away from the graded discussions and analytical papers. I am not a part of the English department; I’m not even a senior, but as your designated reviewer, I’m telling you my honest opinion. Think of me as the GoodReads of Westridge. I hope you have fun reading my review, and hopefully I can get you ready to read!

Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale book review:

*Warning: this review contains plot descriptions and spoilers*

Let me preface by saying that nothing I’m about to write is revolutionary. The Handmaid’s Tale is one of the most poignant pieces of literature in the 20th century. The dystopian novel by Margaret Atwood, a literary genius whose books eerily mirror the world we live in, was one of the scariest yet most gripping books I’ve ever read. The novel is set in a near-future theocratic regime called Gilead. The story follows Offred, a Handmaid whose sole purpose is to bear children for the ruling elite and was written as a warning about the potential consequences of religious extremism and the control of reproductive rights. It’s safe to say this book is not as speculative as it was when it was published in 1985. 

Even today, with the vibrant feminist movement, The Handmaid’s Tale is incredibly refreshing because Atwood doesn’t shy away from conversations about women. In fact, she embraces them head-on. She rips open the stigmas about women’s bodies and abortions and everything that we as a society are too scared to discuss. Atwood plays with class divides, theocracy, and control over women. What could be more fun?! 

The Handmaid’s Tale was written before Roe v. Wade was overturned, but the book feels as if Atwood had a premonition. While The Handmaid’s Tale was terrifying, it was also incredibly current and relevant. In a flashback, the narrator describes the emergence of the new theocracy in Gilead. The new government—the Sons of Jacob—staged a coup, assassinated the president, and declared martial law. Following this declaration and the firing of women from their jobs, people took to the streets in protest. The newly empowered regime deployed military forces to ruthlessly gun down unarmed citizens. After the deployment of ICE in Minnesota and the death of Renée Good and Alex Pretti, this chapter felt like a news clipping.

After reading the book, the consequences of the ongoing rollback of women’s rights in today’s world felt tangible. We truly could be heading for a Gilead-like society. The unreliable narration felt disorienting, but I was so mystified by it that I needed to keep reading. Again, not a hot take, but the way Atwood writes is so uniquely her. I felt intellectually stimulated the entire time, which is not something I can say about a lot of books. I’m not going to spoil the ending, but it was one of the most satisfying endings I have ever read—I had to sit in silence just to fully comprehend what I had just read. 

And so here it is: Should it be required? I can say with my whole heart, yes. I think everybody should read this book at least once in their lives. Especially in the current times we are living in, The Handmaid’s Tale is not a book to ignore. It is so unapologetically Atwood. 

I am here to tell you, Margaret Atwood is life-changing.