The Testaments
Book - 2019
#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER
SHORTLISTED FOR THE BOOKER PRIZE
Margaret Atwood's dystopian masterpiece, The Handmaid's Tale, has become a modern classic--and now she brings the iconic story to a dramatic conclusion in this riveting sequel.
More than fifteen years after the events of The Handmaid's Tale, the theocratic regime of the Republic of Gilead maintains its grip on power, but there are signs it is beginning to rot from within. At this crucial moment, the lives of three radically different women converge, with potentially explosive results.
Two have grown up as part of the first generation to come of age in the new order. The testimonies of these two young women are joined by a third voice: a woman who wields power through the ruthless accumulation and deployment of secrets.
As Atwood unfolds The Testaments, she opens up the innermost workings of Gilead as each woman is forced to come to terms with who she is, and how far she will go for what she believes.
SHORTLISTED FOR THE BOOKER PRIZE
Margaret Atwood's dystopian masterpiece, The Handmaid's Tale, has become a modern classic--and now she brings the iconic story to a dramatic conclusion in this riveting sequel.
More than fifteen years after the events of The Handmaid's Tale, the theocratic regime of the Republic of Gilead maintains its grip on power, but there are signs it is beginning to rot from within. At this crucial moment, the lives of three radically different women converge, with potentially explosive results.
Two have grown up as part of the first generation to come of age in the new order. The testimonies of these two young women are joined by a third voice: a woman who wields power through the ruthless accumulation and deployment of secrets.
As Atwood unfolds The Testaments, she opens up the innermost workings of Gilead as each woman is forced to come to terms with who she is, and how far she will go for what she believes.
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Publisher:
New York : Nan A. Talese/Doubleday, [2019]
Edition:
First edition.
Copyright Date:
©2019
ISBN:
9780385543781
0385543786
0385543786
Branch Call Number:
ATWOOD M
Characteristics:
x, 419 pages ; 25 cm
Additional Contributors:
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NadiaHathor
Oct 02, 2019
"There were swings in one of the parks, but because of our skirts, which might be blown up by the wind and then looked into, we were not to think of taking such a liberty as a swing. Only boys could taste that freedom; only they could swoop and soar; only they could be airborne. I've never been on a swing. It remains one of my wishes." Part II - Chapter 3 - pg.16
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Add a CommentInteresting but weak in parts. The character of young woman smuggled back into Gilead was annoying and immature. Why would she not have been portrayed with more insight or worldly experience to bring some depth to the discussion of how Gilead was perceived by the outside world. The relationship between the two girls was an eye roll!
A quick read to wrap up some loose ends, but not up to Atwood's usual standard. Disappointing.
What a wonderful wordsmith, Atwood is. And what I found exceptional here...is how well thought out she is in Testament. You see it's not a book about female subjugation by males in some future world, as it may appear on surface. It's a novel about society and how quickly a right can become a wrong by law making. AND IT MAKES SENSE!
Jefferson was wrong...FREEDOM is not an inalienable right...it is a legal right, and as such its definition can change in an instant, just like Orwell explained and Atwood confirmed.
What a great sequel!! I just read it through today and loved it!
This is a fantastic sequel that will appeal to fans of the book and fans of the television series.
This is a quick read that will keep you turning pages.
Excellent sequel. I liked the way she combined some of the aspects of the tv show with the story.
A fast-moving page turner - the Aunt's story is riveting - but the ending felt a little too pat & neat, particularly compared to The Handmaid's Tale. Having 3 different narrators was interesting in juxtaposing different viewpoints on Gilead but not all are as equally developed. Either way I'm glad that Margaret Atwood provided an ending after all these years!
A captivating, satisfying sequel. Atwood fleshes out believable characters (some new, some old) in three connected stories of oppression and resistance.
Aiya. Excellent book. As Atwood says of reprising her classic written during the first backlash against women: "the citizens of many countries, including the United States, are under more stresses now than they were three decades ago."
When the Handmaids originally was published, many said it was so extreme that only radical bra-burners would think it anything other than junk. Well, well, well. Here we are. A chilling retort to those of us who remember those times, much like Aunt Lydia.
Enjoyed it, was interested in seeing how Gilead fared after after Offred!