A dystopia in the tradition of Orwell’s 1984 and Huxley’s Brave New World, The Handmaid’s Tale is a brilliantly imaginative novel by one of today’s greatest writers. Set in the Republic of Gilead, a totalitarian Christian theocracy, Atwood’s story imagines a future world where women are subjugated and categorized hierarchically according to their reproductive capacities. Narrated by the memorable handmaid Offred, The Handmaid’s Tale is both terrifying and inspiring, a sobering satire on today’s gender politics and a profound testament to the power of hope. Filled with poignant language and hard-pounding suspense, this 1986 Booker-Prize finalist may resonate more strongly today than when it was first published. One of the truly great novels of the past 50 years.
