I am returning from a very long hiatus with a review of an absolute classic - The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood. I'm sure not many of you have missed the major success of the recent TV adaptation of the novel, however I am on of those poeple who must read the book first. So I have avoided all of the hype and spoliers and finally dusted off my copy from my 'to read' shelf and my goodness am I pleased I did.
The novel is narrated by Offred, a handmaid who has been sent to live with Serena Joy and her husband with only one real purpose - to breed. It is a time when radiation levels are toxic and nuclear disasters have caused a massive decrease in the birth rate as people find themselves unable to conceive. So those who are able to, such as Offred, are sent to the families of high ranking officials to allow them to have a family. The rules for the handmaids are strict - they cannot read or write and must not disobey the oppressive rules inflicted on them. The punishment? Death. Or worse still, a one way ticket to the colonies.
Having jut re-read that last paragraph, I couldn't blame anyone for thinking that it sounds a bits of a grim and depressing novel! But trust me, the story will both warm and break your heart. Offred and the other handmaids are so clearly seeking a glimpse of the humanity of their past lives and their story is not all about consent to the rules; it is a story of survival on a dystopian world that slipped up - massively.
The most disturbing factor was that I felt that it was not completely abstract from reality. Of course our lives are nothing at all like that of Offred, however I was left with a feeling that this is not impossible, this was disturbingly real and viable. I suppose that is the defining characteristic of a successful and gripping dystopian novel.
Ultimately this is a novel about the tensions between humanity and power, the balance of which will always be precarious. But in The Handmaid's Tale, power trumps humanity, and we are shown a glimpse of a possible future for this world. Now I am off to binge watch the TV series and see how it compares to the novel - the bar has certainly been set high!
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