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The Handmaid's Tale

By Margaret Atwood
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Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood is set in a dystopian future where a totalitarian regime known as Gilead has replaced the United States government. The narrative revolves around Offred, a Handmaid, who is forced into reproductive servitude as part of the state's efforts to combat declining birth rates. Through Offred's perspective, the novel explores themes of power, control, and resistance in a society stripped of personal freedoms.
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Format: Paperback / softback
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

You might like this book if you're drawn to gripping dystopian narratives that explore themes of power, gender, and societal control. Its detailed, thought-provoking storytelling immerses you in a future world where personal freedoms are severely restricted, inviting deep reflection on the implications for today's society. Perfect for readers who enjoy a blend of suspense, emotional depth, and social commentary.

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The Handmaid's Tale

Offred is a Handmaid in the Republic of Gilead. She has only one function- to breed. If she deviates, she will, like dissenters, be hanged at the wall or sent out to die slowly of radiation sickness. But even a repressive state cannot obliterate desire - neither Offred's nor that of the two men on which her future hangs.

Compulsively readable' Daily Telegraph

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

Compulsively readable Daily Telegraph

The Sunday Times No. 1 Bestseller

Discover the dystopian novel that started a phenomenon.

Offred is a Handmaid in the Republic of Gilead. She is placed in the household of The Commander, Fred Waterford - her assigned name, Offred, means 'of Fred'. She has only one function: to breed. If Offred refuses to enter into sexual servitude to repopulate a devastated world, she will be hanged.

Yet even a repressive state cannot eradicate hope and desire. As she recalls her pre-revolution life in flashbacks, Offred must navigate through the terrifying landscape of torture and persecution in the present day, and between two men upon which her future hangs.

'A fantastic, chilling story. And so powerfully feminist' Bernadine Evaristo

'As relevant today as it was when Atwood wrote it' Guardian

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

Margaret Atwood's The Handmaid's Tale is praised for its chilling and powerful feminist narrative. It is described as compulsively readable, showcasing sharp perceptions and intense imagery with sardonic wit. The book is recognised as both an exceptional work of science fiction and a deeply moral story. It’s also noted for being moving, vivid, and terrifying, sparking hope that its dystopian vision isn't prophetic.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9780099511663

Publisher: Vintage Publishing

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 07 October 2010

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Vintage Classics

Audience: General / adult, Tertiary education, Professional and scholarly

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 21.0mm

Width: 130.0mm

Height: 197.0mm

Weight: 238g

Pages: 336

Collections

100 Great Reads 2025 Best Sellers Dystopian Fiction Education & Reference Featured Fiction General Fiction In-Stock Fiction Books Literary Fiction Margaret Atwood Most Popular Books of All Time New Release Fiction Penguin Books Politics & Current Affairs

About the Author

Margaret Atwood is Canada's most eminent novelist, poet and critic. Her books include The Edible Woman, Surfacing, Lady Oracle, Life Before Man, Bodily Harm, The Handmaid's Tale (winner of both the Arthur C. Clarke Award for Science Fiction and the Governor-General's Award, shortlisted for the Booker Prize and made in a major film). Cat's Eye (also shortlisted for the Booker Prize) The Robber Bride and Alias Grace. Finally, The Blind Assassin won the Booker Prize in 2000.

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