I first read The Handmaid's Tale cough, cough, years ago and it was the book that made me fall in love with the dystopian genre and that in itself was interesting to me because I don't read a lot of science fiction or fantasy and these books do border on those genres.
The Handmaid's Tale is set in a future theocratic/communistic society, (That's technically an oxymoron but it's the best way to describe the setting of the book.) and focuses on the life experiences of a handmaid adjusting to the new theocratic society. A Handmaid is a woman whose only role in society is to procreate for a sterile couple. It also documents the different roles that other women have been compartmentalized into and their frustrations living as nothing more than a symbol.
Oh the many ways we could tear this book apart in light of women's roles in society today.
I found this read through to be very depressing and it seemed more dark than I remember. Or maybe I'm just finding dystopian books more depressing than I used to find them. I loved The Hunger Games but I did find it rather depressing and tense as well. I have intentionally put off reading the 2nd and 3rd books even though I have them on my kindle.
The Handmaid's Tale is set in a future theocratic/communistic society, (That's technically an oxymoron but it's the best way to describe the setting of the book.) and focuses on the life experiences of a handmaid adjusting to the new theocratic society. A Handmaid is a woman whose only role in society is to procreate for a sterile couple. It also documents the different roles that other women have been compartmentalized into and their frustrations living as nothing more than a symbol.
Oh the many ways we could tear this book apart in light of women's roles in society today.
I found this read through to be very depressing and it seemed more dark than I remember. Or maybe I'm just finding dystopian books more depressing than I used to find them. I loved The Hunger Games but I did find it rather depressing and tense as well. I have intentionally put off reading the 2nd and 3rd books even though I have them on my kindle.
2 comments:
Like you, I find dystopian novels depressing as well, but I loved The Hunger Games series. Even if it was depressing, I couldn't put it down. I guess, you'll have to put up with the depressing factor if you want to read dystopian fiction. Great review. :)
Thanks......I know! I couldn't put The Hunger Games down! ;) It's a love/depressed relationship! ha ha!
Post a Comment