I will admit I was skeptical. I’m not an Atwood superfan. I read The Handmaid’s Tale, but much
Something must be done before this generation of women is gone.
preferred her Maddaddam trilogy. I was not expecting to be blown away, but had an open mind. The Testaments is a compelling book. The plot-driven narrative keeps readers engaged, and the language is quite simple. Three women share the role of narrator, and the story switches among them quickly. The women are not initially introduced, which spurs the reader to find out how they fit into the story. Once the narrative voices are uncovered, the plot moves quickly. Set fifteen years after The Handmaid’s Tale, we see that Gilead has grown in power and scope. Women who were children at its inception are
Atwood has also managed to squeeze in numerous nods to current events—the Me Too movement, the Kavanaugh hearing, the tightening of women’s rights in the Trump era, and many more. Atwood spoke at the reading in Charlottetown about how some of these events drove her to write a sequel to The Handmaid’s Tale, as well as shaped the narrative in The Testaments. So, is it deserving of all the hype? In my opinion, it was a good book and an enjoyable read, but perhaps not quite worthy of the extensive critical acclaim. There were not many surprises, and the end wrapped up a little too tidily and quickly. That said, the hype about
unaware that they are oppressed. Only the women who remember the past seem to have any desire or ability to challenge the patriarchal regime. Readers get the sense that this is a time-sensitive challenge.
seeing Margaret Atwood read live was absolutely legitimate. She was spunky and bright and witty, and everything you would expect from a Canadian treasure.
Kristen Johnson is a homesteader and home-school mom who lives in Eastern PEI. She loves to spend her free time between the pages of a book.
FALL 2019 www.pei-living.ca
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