The Testaments by Margaret Atwood WITH spoilers

[Pokemontv]

Who is up for a discussion ? What did you like ? What did you hate ?

I really liked the book overall.

The only bit of the book I couldn't get, is why it had to be grown up baby Nicole returning to collect the Testaments. Why not sent it with the pearl girls, as before ? Especially as Aunt Lydia had two pearl girls ready to help her already.

Did I miss the reason for this bit.

Second thoughts.did Aunty Lydia think her pearl girls would not act on her instructions without additional reason.

Therefore by endangering one of the girls half sister could she compel the girls to act. Go to Canada/make a sacrifice.

Plus June made it :)

Reading now

Starting it right now!

I’m 70 pages in but need to stop reading as I’m off to see the Margaret Atwood thingy at the cinema tonight. I’m really liking it so far and have some theories about who the characters are.

Enjoy the cinema:)

Babies that was a question I pondered too. I might need a reread to figure that out I couldn't slow myself down

It's really hard to stop comparing the series.

Just finished it. I really liked the incorporation with the TV series but (and I know, IABU) it did feel a bit inconsistent that Baby Nicole was a living symbol, but the hundred or so kids who almost immediately followed her didn’t get a mention.

That’s one of my few niggles though. I loved the reunion at the end.

I agree Empress re the mass exodus not getting a mention.

(I'm more place-marking here as I'm not very good a literary review, but enjoy reading more erudite comments from others.)

I liked the more chronological account as the flitting back and forward of THT was disorienting (which I expect it was meant to be). I found the story plausible and compelling.

I liked the structure of it, and the premise of reading interwoven historical sources.

I have always wondered about AL's backstory and motivation, so found those sections interesting.

For me, the voice of Agnes was less convincing. She seemed to become more pious and less questioning as time went on.

By writing this, MA has created a firm end point, whilst at the same time leaving space for more seasons of the TV drama to cover the intervening years.

One question I'm left with: I understand that Mayday needed to keep Nicole's identify secret to protect her, but once June was in Canada surely she could have been allowed to see her daughter? Even if only under the guise of a family friend or a customer of the Clothing Hound.

Maybe the Gilead spies would have been keeping an eye on June, and this any girl of the right age to be Nicole would be under threat/suspicion?

I guess questioning is dangerous, and also by supressing inward doubts it stops them showing through as dangerous outward actions?

Maybe the Gilead spies would have been keeping an eye on June, and this any girl of the right age to be Nicole would be under threat/suspicion?

That sounds likely. They'd never be certain who was a spy & who wasn't. I'm glad June got out safely.

Just finished it - given MA says that she bases her stories on things that have happened in the past I wondered if Aunt Lydia was in any way based on Catherine de Medici - especially as there were 2 mentions of Mary Queen of Scots near the end? The historical Catherine probably had better intentions than the caricature, was rather pushed into some horrific actions and was known for her group of female spies. Is there anyway to ask MA do you think?

I enjoyed it overall but there were some issues. It was beautifully written but it felt a bit more 'easy read' than The Handmaids Tale.

Other than the sections with Aunt Lydia in the stadium etc the creeping horror of Gilead just wasn't there for me. I'm not sure if that's because the characters were more aware of what was going on around them (THT was so claustrophobic) or because I'm a lot more desensitised to horrific things happening to people than I was 20 odd years ago.

I also thought we learned a lot about Mayday without really learning anything about Mayday at all.

Hi downloaded at 9am on page 391 GOOSEBUMPS... that's all xx

I'm not sure if that's because the characters were more aware of what was going on around them (THT was so claustrophobic) or because I'm a lot more desensitised to horrific things happening to people than I was 20 odd years ago.

I think for Agnes, at least, what Aunt Lydia said to June about 'this will become ordinary for you' applies here - it's the world she's grown up in. I think things would have felt a lot more horrific if we'd seen either of the younger ones end up as a Handmaid but even then, that's something we've seen before.

The character I felt sorriest for is Becka. I wish she could have got away with the other two.

I was unsure at the end whether Becka had committed suicide or just accidentally drowned. It was very sad, her whole story was very sad.

I'm pretty sure Becka committed suicide as AL mentions that the frugal child had left her clothes neatly folded up on the ladder for someone else to use and AL refers to it as a willing sacrifice - plus all the quotes about love is stronger than death that go in real life with the scriptural quote about "Greater love hath no man that this, that he gave up his life for his friends".

I've just finished it and come straight here hoping for a discussion thread. I loved it. I liked the connection with the tv series, which I've also really enjoyed, and my most pressing questions answered, namely did June get out and Aunt Lydia's story. I couldn't make the live streaming last night, which I was really disappointed about. I'd love to hear from anyone who went.

I think Aunt Lydia kept every option open. Despite her hatred of the Commander she still had an urge to survive - bringing Nicole back have her an option to stay alive and secure her future - whether for revenge or herself.
Amazing book. I loved how Agnes seemed so radical to the girls in Gilead - yet so far away from Nicole and Canada. It highlighted the damage that Gilead inflicted.
I loved that the story moved from the Handmaids - we had already seen the desperate and violent lives they lived and there was not much else to see - the glimpses were incredible - the violent death of the dentist, the death of Mark's mother ...

I really loved it. I thought everything was very plausible - loved that Aunt Lydia kept her options open until the end but ultimately I loved that she did the right thing.

If Hulu don’t use this for their final season, I will be most irritated!

Quick question: I have read THT but not seen the TV series. Would The Testaments still make sense? We don't have Netflix. TIA

Yes Quinto it will make sense

There was very little information referred to that emerged in the TV series rather than the original book.

Off the top of my head, these seemed to be from the TV series:

• Offred's real name (June)
• Her younger daughter's name (Nicole)
• A reference to Aunt Lydia having briefly worked as a schoolteacher

(It's possible that these were in the original book and I've forgotten; I last read it in the late 1980s).