★★—The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood
"Offred is a Handmaid in the Republic of Gilead. She may leave the home of the Commander and his wife once a day to walk to food markets whose signs are now pictures instead of words because women are no longer allowed to read. She must lie on her back once a month and pray that the Commander makes her pregnant, because in an age of declining births, Offred and the other Handmaids are valued only if their ovaries are viable. Offred can remember the years before, when she lived and made love with her husband, Luke; when she played with and protected her daughter; when she had a job, money of her own, and access to knowledge. But all of that is gone now..." (Goodreads)
My Review
★★
Finally finished it. I was just waiting for this book to end. I didn't like it. I found it confusing and hard to follow. I sympathized with Offred, but that was about it. I didn't like or truly care about any of the characters, except Offred's nameless daughter, who was a blip. There was no historical context from Offred, and by the time I got to the epilogue I no longer cared. I was bored. The society of Gilead ties with, if not overtakes, the society in the Hunger Games. It's a religious extremist society, which is infuriating. I don't like religious extremism, especially where women are told what they can and can't do with their bodies. In Gilead, they're required to have babies. That's all they're good for. Which is bullshit. I know I'm not supposed to like the governments in dystopian literature. But hell. Man or woman, I wouldn't want to live there. At least in other societies, women are allowed to keep their dignity and independence. But not here.
