The Testaments - Margaret Atwood

[Notopel]

Just seen this listed as someone’s book of the decade, and wondered if I was alone in not loving this book.

I am huge fan of Margaret Atwood, and I think particularly in her earlier works she creates complex female characters. But, in the Testaments, it all seemed a bit two-dimensional. Particularly the younger characters, with cliched teenager behaviour.

It just didn’t seem anything special.

Agree. Thought it was flat and lazy, more like fanfic, especially aunt lydia rewrite and the badly written young adult lead.

I also thought it kept telling me what was happening, not showing.

I listened to the audiobook and found it dull. It was obvious how the three were linked and it didn't provide any new info about giliad that hadn't already been learned really. I thought it could have gone into far more on the politics of Gilead such as how the aunts were given so much power, which was rather glossed over

I agree. I was looking forward to The Testaments so much, but it left me disappointed.

I was hoping that Margaret Atwood wouldn't go near what has happened in the TV series, but instead she's basically written a road map for however many more series they choose to do. I think I said at the time that the TV series was a spoiler for the book (in terms of how the characters were connected/who they are) and the book is now a spoiler for the future TV series.

Although I'm pleased that Aunt Lydia's story was included, I'm disappointed that other voices weren't heard - a Martha or a Wife, for example. Especially if the wife was acting against the regime in some way.

There are so many Gilead stories that I wanted to hear, and I feel a bit cheated! I re-read the Historical Notes at the end of The Handmaid's Tale where it talks about diaries of a Commander which had been smuggled out. I'd have loved to have read those.