This month I’m reviewing a book that was on my TBR (To Be Read) list, for a long time. It took a month or two to get off the wait list just to check it out, then I got like halfway through the book, and it got automatically returned (I’m a slow reader) so then I had to wait on the wait list again for the last half of the book! Yeah it’s been a journey, just to read this book. This month’s book is The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood.
I’ll be 100% honest, I’m a slow reader (with two small kids, 3 dogs, 2 cats, a husband, and two businesses; aka lots of distractions). This was a semi difficult book for me to read, only because I feel like you have to pay attention. The entire time I was reading this book I felt like I didn’t understand something, and that if I just keep reading it will all make sense. I guess I’m not quite smart enough to have fully feel like I got a good grasp on it. I just always had the sense I was missing something.
The book has a post apocalyptic, reformational government. It’s a very harsh patriarchal ruling system. This new governmental uprising seems to have taken place after a civil war type event. This new government systematically “cleansed” it’s population. It gave a value to each of it’s citizens. And the “jobs” assigned to the citizens directly reflects their “value.” The general population seems to have no freedom in anything; no choice in really anything. Everything is decided for the people living in this world, down to their hair, clothes, under garments, and the relationships they’re “allowed” to have.
This book is narrated by a woman who survived the civil war event, the new government uprising, and has been assigned her new place in life. We are never told her real name. Everything is portrayed as her thoughts to herself, the thoughts she has to keep herself from losing her damn mind. Through these thoughts we are given glimpses of her husband and her daughter from her previous life. These thoughts are truly heartbreaking. I ached with her during these thoughts.
For me all of her thoughts were very relatable, understandable, and sad. You really feel for her. The story begins and ends abruptly. There is a reason for this; the whole story turns out to be “told” from music cassette tapes that had been recorded over. These tapes ended up in the hands of scholars from far in the “future” and they were analyzing the recordings for historical understanding. This portion of the book reminded me of people analyzing The Diary Anne Frank. Something from the “past” and something very “forbidden.” Something that is so foreign to the historians that they can’t imagine this being reality, and being fascinated by it’s kernels of truth.
Ultimately, the historians are unable to find the voice who is captured on the tapes. They narrow it down to two possible families she worked for, but can’t make it an official decision. This makes me sad because her story is so sad. And due to the patriarchal governmental rules, her value is placed in her ability to carry and birth a child. She is nothing more than a walking womb. I hate this! It’s shitty to think that a woman’s worth is all placed upon a stupid reproductive system.
Unfortunately, the story has a few instances that ring a little to true in relation to current events in the U.S., and I don’t like it! It really does skeeve me out! I’m a person who trusts my gut and Margaret Atwood, has a knack for invoking emotions that create a true gut reaction to the events in the story.
It is a good read, and if you’re smarter than me and have less distractions than I do, I recommend this book. I feel like I may go back to this book one day when my kids are older, or if I have a kid free vacation.
Stay safe, stay rad, and wash your DANG hands!
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