It is unbearably boring if I am to be honest. I understand that this is perhaps intentional (Offred’s life is very mundane and uneventful, and her entire possibility of a personality is suppressed by the state). Nevertheless, I do not think that just because a certain artistic choice is intentional, it is then immune to scrutiny. I am sure there are a dozen ways to convey the boredom of a life in this environment, without having to sacrifice entirely the investment of the reader. Generally I like the idea, and I think that I would be interested if it was written better. But the prose is bordering on being a nuclear desert wasteland with how dry it is. As in, there is nothing in sight which pleases the eye or has the sound of poetry or is captivating/emotionally engaging in the slightest. And I like those authors that have accusations about the dryness of the prose levied against them (Dostoyevsky, for example). But I truly see nothing in this book. It is completely barren. The language is terribly dull and the endless barrage of mediocre similes are quite tedious. Nothing in the way of a substantive commentary on the environment. The ideas are there, they have good potential. But it is their communication that is key. I am not reading ideas, I am reading prose. And the prose is bad. Very bad. Juvenile even. I find myself fighting to continue reading. Were I not required to study it, I absolutely would have put it down and you would not here me venting my frustration at what little value I see in the book.
As I understand it, however, it is quite popular with a great many people. So I am interested, because I like other perspectives and mine is just one of those: what do people see in the book?
by Connor106
5 Comments
Margaret Atwood did an AMA here [you might want to take a look](http://www.reddit.com/r/books/comments/2qprzk/i_am_margaret_atwood_author_of_the_handmaids_tale/) 🙂 [Here’s a link to all of our upcoming AMAs](http://www.reddit.com/r/books/wiki/amafullschedule)
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A cautionary tale – and a road map for some – certain aspects of which are beginning to be played out as we speak.
I found it incredibly gripping despite the mundanity. The banality of evil in full effect.
While you are free to think the writing is bad I suspect you’ll be in the minority there, it did win multiple literature awards.
I’m gonna agree with you that it’s boring af because I know I read it but I hardly remember anything about it. I remember there were meetings (prayers?) in the town center, and even that’s probably wrong. And I remember how they were required to have sex and that Offred’s master’s (owner?) wife hated it (rightly so imo) but some others got off on it 🤢 And I didn’t really like the ending all that much. It left a lot hanging. I get it. But I don’t like it lol
I see how it’s a relevant book to read in light of legislation being passed in the US but it could be written more interestingly. Maybe the show has succeeded in that aspect?
If nothing in the book rings out to you, I understand. It’s hard to connect with a character in a situation that you’ve never been in, especially when that character is utterly helpless, and without any way to escape. You’re going to have a strong anti-sympathetic reaction, which may be what’s going on here. A gut-deep “Why didn’t she punch/kick/scream? I would have ripped whomever to shreds!” The TV series has to go to some lengths to create a sense that there is a way to fight.