Active discussions

Please or to access all these features

Talk
What we're reading

Find your new favourite book or recommend one on our Book forum.

Original poster

Any one fancy a discussion thread for the handmaid's tale?

42 replies

Oldwestaction · 07/06/2017 07:46

Well, after watching the first two episodes on catch up, I downloaded the book on Monday and finished it yesterday. I just could not put it down!
I've read the thread which is following the tv series but don't want to add on there and spoil for those who haven't read the book.
I had lots of questions whizzing round my head last night which I have now forgotten! Sure they'll come back to me though!
Interested to hear other's thoughts on the book and also how they feel the show compares?

OP posts:
Wormulonian · 14/06/2017 11:03

I'm not the person you asked but many years ago I read quite a few dystopian novels- so these are "classics" rather than more up to date ones and like the HMT are mainly "speculative fiction" about things that have happened or could happen (based on Nazi Germany, Stalin's Russia etc)

We - Yevgeny Zamyatin
1984 - George Orwell
Brave New World - Aldous Huxley
The Iron Heel - Jack London (written in 1908!)
It can't happen Here - Sinclair Lewis
Logan's Run
Neuromancer - William Gibson
Do Android's dream of Electric sheep- Philip K Dick

Margaret Atwood's Maddaddam triology is great, especially the second book of the series The Year of the Flood. She recently wrote some internet fiction which was published last year on Kindle called The Heart Goes Last which is set in the near future - it is funny and horrifying and well worth a read

Original poster
Oldwestaction · 12/06/2017 19:49

somewhat please could you recommend some other dystopian novels?

OP posts:
Tinkhasflown · 12/06/2017 09:47

As disturbing as it is I am loving the tv series so have downloaded the book. I can't wait to finish up my current read so that I can delve into this.

DameDiazepamTheDramaQueen · 12/06/2017 09:02

I need to read it again as I first read it when it came out! I can't believe that is possible tbh,it seems 5 mins ago!

SuperFlyHigh · 12/06/2017 09:00

This book is one of my 'read agains'.

For some strange reason I like the small minutiae of the handmaidens' chores and outings and the dialogue between them and the nightclub scene.

I also quite like the open ended end as you're not sure what happens for good or bad...

AndNoneForGretchenWieners · 11/06/2017 11:55

I got the feeling that the commander's wife is ashamed of her infertility and so resents Offred, but at the same time is disaffected with the way Gilead works, as I think she had certain expectations of the state which aren't delivering exactly as she had anticipated. I haven't read the book for years though, so may be misremembering.

Original poster
Oldwestaction · 11/06/2017 11:45

I was disappointed by the end. I couldn't decide if it had been left open like that for the possibility of another book, or if it was for the reader to explore their own ideas of what they thought happened next?
Given it was written over 30 years ago I think the second book theory is out.
One of my questions is about the commanders wife. I got the impression she hated offred and what she represented, so why towards the end of the book did she seem to soften towards her? I don't imagine they spent any real time together so I don't think it was a case that she grew to like her as she got to know her.
I wonder if she had suspicions about her and the commander long before she found the cloak, and was worried offred would take her place? Interested to hear other thoughts on that....

OP posts:
limeandsoda93 · 10/06/2017 23:19

I finished it on Monday. I have a lot of thoughts about it but I'm not very articulate! I'd like to hear everyone's thoughts about it though. Did anyone else is that it seems to come to an end quite suddenly? I was reading on an iPad and wasn't looking at how far through I was so didn't have a clue that the end was nigh!

Soubriquet · 09/06/2017 08:02

Ive just finished!!

But dissapointed by the end though

SomewhatIdiosyncratic · 09/06/2017 03:56

I studied dysutopias in A-Level English including extracts of The Handmaid's Tale. I like Margaret Atwood anyway and bought a copy of it some years ago. I've re-read it in the last couple of weeks.

I don't think you're ready for me to chat about it yet!

Original poster
Oldwestaction · 08/06/2017 20:48

reader it is isn't it. I think reading as a woman the thing that hits home is that any one of the 'roles' of the female characters would be yours. No one is exempt from having to have one of the miserable lifestyles on offer.

OP posts:
Bookreader2403 · 08/06/2017 15:53

I first read this book about 15 years ago.. it has never left me and I'm finding the TV adaptation extremely well done, so far. Its a scary read, especially in today's climate!

toastymarshmallow · 07/06/2017 12:07

I am marking place as I have ordered a physical copy and I know that once it arrives I will read it and NEED to discuss it!

Original poster
Oldwestaction · 07/06/2017 12:02

counting I would definitely download it. It's fantastic and easy to see why it's on the A level syllabus. Incredibly thought provoking!
sou are you also watching the series?
flys yes do re read and report back! No one in my circle of friends has read it and I'm dying to hear others thoughts on it Smile

OP posts:
FlysInDreams · 07/06/2017 09:25

I've not read it for years, so would need to read it again, but I'm in!

I also need to catch up on the TV version as I've only seen the first episode so far.

countingdown · 07/06/2017 07:50

I have just been looking at it on audible. I might download it.

Soubriquet · 07/06/2017 07:48

I've just started reading it

I'm up to chapter 20. It's hard to put it down at night (I read a few chapters before going to sleep)