Currently

This book, the sequel put it all together quite beautiful. Characters situations and chain of events kept me dedicated to the story. Looking for every opportunity to keep listening. Well done.

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Enjoyed this follow-up to Handmaid’s Tale

Having listened to The Handmaid’s Tale first, I enjoyed filling in some of the mysterious gaps with this tale. A couple of surprise twists!

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Its about time

I read the Handmaids tale years ago and it was a great read bit so many loose ends this book tied everything up nicely it was very satisfying

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The first 80% is fabulous.....but then it falters

This is almost like 2 different books -- the first 80% is terrific, but somehow it falls in the last 20%, which seems too pat and simple, like a supermarket paperback.

But.....the large majority of this book is wonderfully created and written, and beautifully performed. In particular, Ann Dowd does a great job, as she does performing Aunt Lydia on the TV series as well.

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fiction has some truth of reality

the end summary by the ms. atwood hits so close as to the undercurrant of american social change.

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How much can one author say in one book?

This was an amazing book. There is so much in it, it's hard to know where to start. I am in awe of Margaret Atwood's ability to weave a story with so many elements together.

Here are some of the themes or elements that stood out to me:
- Strong comment about gender roles, and especially women's rights.
- Theme of freedom of choice and democracy, and how fragile it could be for us. How easy it is to take for granted.
- Reinforcement about the power of reading and writing to change people's lives for the better
- Exploration of what a dictatorship or oppressive regime could mean for the people living in it. This was a favorite quote from the book:
"What good is it to throw yourself in front of a steamroller out of moral principles and then be crushed flat like a sock emptied of its foot? Better to fade into the crowd, the piously praising, unctuous, hate-mongering crowd. Better to hurl rocks than to have them hurled at you. Or better for your chances of staying alive."
- How power works, and how bullies use it in their favour.
- So many delicious allusions to fairytales like Cinderella, Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, Rapunzel and even Frozen. Also biblical allusions. Atwood sometimes reverses the fairytales to make a point, and uses biblical content to underscore how sometimes religion can be used poorly.
- And if you want some real fun, do a little research about the names of the characters. Margaret Atwood has some real zingers in there, as far as added meaning and insight into the story.

The story is told from the perspective of three female narrators. The actors that were selected from this audible recording were fantastic. I loved Ann Dowd as Aunt Lydia; she portrays her intelligence, wit and seriousness with such accuracy I almost forgot I was listening to an actor. Bryce Dallas Howard portrays the innocence and gentleness of Agnes so well; although Howard is an adult, it is easy to believe Agnes is a 13 / 14 year old girl. Mae Whitman... I loved her in the TV series Parenthood and thought she did such a great job of portraying the sassy yet caring Daisy. So so so good!

Although each narrator's account was so good, I was especially taken with the account of Aunt Lydia. In the Handmaid's Tale it is so easy to dislike her. In The Testaments we get to know her much better. We learn her history and what made her into the person she has become. The additional information, which totally shifted my view of this character, reminded me of a of a longstanding personal commitment to try to give people the benefit of the doubt, even when it is hard. To understand that people are usually just trying to do their best. I think Atwood did this on purpose. In a day and age of social media, easy scrolling, angry comments online, cancel culture, etc. it is easy to assume your first impression of someone, or their motivations, is correct. But we are all fallable, and it is becoming increasingly more evident to me, that what we really need more than being right is understanding and compassion. I was happy to be reminded of this after reading through Aunt Lydia in this novel.

So much to think about in this book. I liked it immensely.

A great sequel

It is difficult to keep a book to the same high standard as its predecessor but Margaret Atwood has done it! I could not put it down.

Great, mostly

Satisfying conclusion to the Gilead story, except for the final chapter. The windbag academic is funny, and gives a good perspective on a crazy society, but he sucks the energy out of the story. You go from a full gallop to lazing in the grass, looking at your belly button.

Great Part 2 story of the Handmaid's Tale.

I was waiting for the Margaret's version of the Handmaid's Tale continuation and she did not disappointed. Well written story of Gilliad resistance and "baby Nicole". Thank you, Margaret.

Excellent

Everything I hoped it would be. This book gives closure to a story that deeply disturbed me. The recent American events march along to the steady drumbeat paralleling this dystopian future. I can hear the heavy steps of the zealots and extremists lining up to make this book a reality.