Litsy

pick

Ultimately this is a pick, but it was real close to being a so-so. I‘m glad I read it (finally!) and wonder if I would have liked it more had it been the first of the similarly-themed dystopian books I‘ve read. I was bothered by a lot of the plot holes & the portrayal of all men as unfeeling ignoramus sexists. That thread continues to bother me throughout these dystopian novels. But I will continue to read as much Atwood as I can!
#HMTale

ofbooksandme It was a very hard read, but the ending and everything that was left unsaid made me love it. (And created a huge problem for me with the series, but that's for another day) 6y

ReviewsbytheMrs I do love this edition though! That cover is 😍 6y

Skyrimir Where do you get this edition? I love it. I‘ve seen it in a few posts but can‘t find it! 6y

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Redwritinghood Agree with your review. The story itself has a lot of flaws, but the underlying idea is so important that I had to rate it a pick. 6y

emilyhaldi @ReviewsbytheMrs @Skyrimir they have this edition right now on Book Depository! Isn‘t it great?! 6y

Kristy_K Great review! I read this years ago and remember feeling the same way. 6y

[DELETED] 3803335244 I love this review! I felt a lot of what you said. For me the past just wasn‘t explained enough. And like you I thought not all men are going to be like this. Good review 💜 6y

emilyhaldi @Redwritinghood @Kristy_K glad I am not alone! 6y

emilyhaldi @ForeverNerdy thank you!! I was bothered by so many aspects of the book but do love Atwood‘s writing. I was especially annoyed that this religious overturning of the US government and civilization happened within a few short years... how? Why did everyone just accept it? I couldn‘t get past that. 6y

Kalalalatja I love that edition 😍😍 6y

erzascarletbookgasm Love this minimalist cover ❤️ 6y

BarbaraBB I loved it but you are right that it was the first dystopian novel of its kind that I read. When i read The Power and Station Eleven I was a bit bored for the same reasons you are now. 6y

Mdargusch At least the cover is pretty ❤️😁 6y

OrangeMooseReads I have always been bothered by the lack of background/lead up to how the society changed. That cover 😍 6y

Seesydneyread Oh that cover though 😍 6y

Cathythoughts Great cover. I feel the same about The Heart Goes Last. Looking back now ( I read it in the summer) another of her dystopian novels. It was only so-so. An easy read at the time, but I‘m not really feeling it as I look back@.. 6y

emilyhaldi @BarbaraBB that makes sense- also I read those 2 also last year as well as a few more dystopians... Really burned myself out!! 😏 6y

GripLitGrl Love that cover! 6y

ValerieAndBooks I still have to read this! I‘ve had it in my TBR for so long. What am I waiting for?! 6y

minkyb Always enjoy reading your reviews, especially when we disagree because it makes me pause and think about different perspectives. 6y

emilyhaldi @minkyb thanks for your kind words!! That really means a lot to me ☺️ part of the beauty of Litsy is getting exposure to different opinions I think ❤️ 6y

minkyb Totally agree!! 6y

Reviewsbylola I loved this but it‘s been so long since I read it. Fantastic edition. 6y

Cinfhen It wasn't perfect, I agree and it was very disturbing but it kept me engaged and turning the pages. I'm also glad Litsy gave me the push to finally read this novel. 6y

Cinfhen By the way, gorgeous edition ❤️ 6y

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Morr_Books

The Handmaid's Tale | Margaret Atwood

pick

A BIG thanks to @Cinfhen for getting me to finally pick up this book. I've been hesitant but it did not disappoint. It was so powerful. I am jotting down some quotes in the comments. Has anyone watched the Hulu series? I'm just wondering if it is close to being as good as the book. #HMTale #buddyread #MountTBRChallenge @Booksbymybed @emilyhaldi @CocoReads @laundry_piles @Tove_Reads @ElishaLovesBooks @tif

Morr_Books Quote#1: We are fascinated, but also repelled. They seem undressed...Then I think: I used to dress like that. That was freedom. 6y

Morr_Books Quote#2: What I feel towards them is blankness. What I feel is that I must not feel. 6y

Morr_Books Quote#3: Ordinary, said Aunt Lydia, is what you are used to. This may not seem ordinary to you now, but after time it will. It will become ordinary. 6y

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Morr_Books Quote#4: Sanity is a valuable possession; I hoard it the way people once hoarded money. I save it, so I will have enough, when the time comes. 6y

Morr_Books Quote#5: I want everything back, the way it was. But there is no point to it, this wanting. 6y

Morr_Books Quote#6: So I will go on. So I will myself to go on. 6y

ElishaLovesBooks These are great quotes! I just hit one: We lived, as usual, by ignoring. Ignoring isn‘t the same as ignorance, you have to work at it. 6y

Morr_Books @ElishaLovesBooks ❤️ that one! 6y

Crystallinegirl If you liked Handmaid's Tale, I strongly recommend

The Power

Crystallinegirl I also really liked American War - all three books are similar feels in my head.

American War

tif @Morr_Books #4 is one of my favourites. And the one @ElishaLovesBooks shared! I agree with @Crystallinegirl in recommending The Power of you haven't already read it and now I'm off to check out American War 😁 6y

Morr_Books Great recommendations @Crystallinegirl! Both of those are on my TBR list. 6y

Booksbymybed @Crystallinegirl thank you for recommendations! 6y

Booksbymybed Haven't seen the series yet must wait until dvd comes out probably, don't have hulu. 6y

Cinfhen So many fabulous quotes💖thanks for sharing yours!! I'm glad this book was a pick for you too! I would definitely recommend THE POWER although American War disappointed me, it's good speculative fiction. Two other dystopian books I read and loved are Station Eleven &

Book of the Unnamed Midwife

Cinfhen @tif @ElishaLovesBooks @Booksbymybed @Crystallinegirl See above for more recommendations 👆🏼 6y

Crystallinegirl @Cinfhen Lol, I strongly disliked Station Eleven. It's always interesting to me what resonates with different people! 6y

Crystallinegirl I'll have to pick up the Unnamed Midwife, though, that sounds fascinating. 6y

Booksbymybed @Cinfhen thanks a lot! 6y

tif @Cinfhen ooh! Thanks! 6y

Cinfhen Ha!! @Crystallinegirl because I LOVED Station Eleven but REALLY disliked the writing and build up & message of

American War

Crystallinegirl @Cinfhen American War was just so easy for me to see actually happening. Scarily so. It wasn't a comfortable book to read, but it was such a logical conclusion to current events that I was in awe. I was also a bit disturbed at how easy it was to sympathize with the main character, but that was the point, I think. I just loved everything about it, while Station Eleven just bored me. What did you like about Station 11? 6y

Cinfhen For me, Station Eleven made me reflect on what I take for granted and what I would miss most from this life I know if everything was lost and the world had to begin again @Crystallinegirl it also made me question how I would react ie the plane full of passengers or barring people from entering the airport ....what would I do to protect myself and would I want to go on if I lost everyone I loved?!? 6y

Morr_Books @Cinfhen Thanks for the additional recommendations. I did actually read Station Eleven for a book club and liked it. I enjoyed the part about the museum of technology. My big takeaway was that if our power grid (which is very vulnerable) went down, I wouldn't know the first thing on how to survive without electricity. 6y

Cinfhen Exactly @Morr_Books we take soooo much for granted....and that‘s why I loved SE...it had me reprioritizing (for about a week😬😉) 6y

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tif

The Handmaid's Tale | Margaret Atwood

When you're discussing The Handmaid's Tale with a friend who hasn't read it and you describe the scenario and she says "so it's basically just what happened to Indigenous Australian women in the early 20th century" and you'd been so focused on whether it could happen in the future you hadn't even stopped to consider that it had already happened in the past. And then you feel so sad and ashamed that that's the history of your country ? #hmtale

CathyJ Omg that's crazy! 6y

Libby1 💔 6y

tif @CathyJ I would imagine it's actually similar for a lot of indigenous populations in the world that have been colonized by Europeans. They were given no rights or freedoms and treated as property :( 6y

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CarolynM 💔 6y

Cinfhen Oh wow! I wasn't aware 💔 6y

tif @Cinfhen yeah. Absolutely heartbreaking. 6y

36 likes6 comments

laundry_piles

The Handmaid's Tale | Margaret Atwood

Almost half way through this book and I feel like I might start losing sleep soon over the idea of being forced to live my life as breeder...can you imagine!? Yeesh!

Only two gripes - the confusion between past and present and how some conversations are in quotations and others are not. Is that just me?

#HMtale #buddyread @Cinfhen @Booksbymybed @emilyhaldi @CocoReads @ElishaLovesBooks @Morr_Books

CocoReads Yes, I‘d hate to live like any of the groups though. This book is so disturbing on so many levels. 6y

laundry_piles @CocoReads I agree! It's chilling to think this as a possible future. Are you going to check out the show? 6y

CocoReads @laundry_piles we don‘t have Hulu so no, probably not. Unless it‘s on dvd or prime 6y

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Cinfhen I didn‘t notice the lack of quotations but another reviewer mentioned that same gripe! And yes, lots of jumping around...sometimes on the same page 😬 6y

laundry_piles @Cinfhen have you read any of her other novels? I wonder of that's common in all her books. It's hard to get used to 6y

[DELETED] 3803335244 I felt a little confused too. I needed more explanation as to the past. How everything got the way it did in the present. 6y

GypsyKat I never felt confused by the jumping around, but it did disrupt the flow of the story. After reading it for a while though I decided that it was probably done that way to make us as readers feel off balance. Like we would if we lived through it. 6y

laundry_piles @GypsyKat very interesting perspective! I'll keep that in mind as I read through the rest of it. 6y

GypsyKat @laundry_piles 😊 6y

Booksbymybed Jumping around was throwing me off a bit but then I got used to it. It definitely gives an impression of a "mind flow" type of story telling , since it isn't supposed to be in writing but rather a heroine telling it to us. 6y

Morr_Books I only had 50 pages left when I had to go to work today. It took everything I had not to pick up the book at work. 6y

29 likes11 comments

Booksbymybed

Handmaid's Tale | Margaret Atwood

pick

Done! Certainly a page-turner, the ending wasn't satisfying at all though. Still an excellent read and I will look into tv series too.
#HMtale

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Cinfhen

The Handmaid's Tale | Margaret Atwood

pick

Wow! What a page turner❣️I'm not sure why I resisted reading this book for so long. Atwood has quickly joined my list of must read authors along with Roxane Gay, Alice Hoffman & Geraldine Brooks. I found this book chilling, terrifying & disturbing. It's especially telling that Atwood, a Canadian, wrote this book about a future America in 1985😳 A wee bit prophetic?!! perhaps!!?! Can't wait to watch the series #HMtale Thanks to my buddy-readers ❤️

Booksbymybed, emilyhaldi, CocoReads, ElishaLovesBooks, Morr_Books, tif, laundry_piles

Eggs Lovely photo! 6y

TrishB My daughters studying it this year - we have to wait for her to finish to watch the series!! 6y

shawnmooney Wasn‘t it incredible! 6y

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LeahBergen I really should reread it (one of these years 😆)! 6y

BarbaraBB Loved this book! Have you read any others? She has written some great ones although this one is my favourite! 6y

batsy I haven't read it yet 🙈 Great review! 6y

nelehelen The series is soooo good too!! 6y

Cinfhen Yes @shawnmooney Nolite te bastardes carborundum 🤩you MUST @LeahBergen ❣️I‘ve read two others @BarbaraBB her debut, which was interesting and the Blind Assassin which I loved🖤which book should I read next?!?! 6y

SandyW My favorite of hers is Oryx and Crake ( book 2 in the Madd Adam trilogy). Of you haven't tried it yet b I HIGHLY recommend it. 6y

Cinfhen Oh @batsy you NEED to read this...can‘t wait to watch series @TrishB @nelehelen thank @Eggs My blue wall really pops against the flowers and book cover 6y

Cinfhen Can I read out of order @SandyW which is book one of Madd Adam trilogy?!?! 6y

Kalalalatja It is sooo good! It was my first Atwood, and I still haven‘t read anything by her that beats it. 👏👏 but I really need to read

The Blind Assassin: A Novel

batsy I definitely will, and I'd better get to it this year! You have to read Cat's Eye and Alias Grace (though the latter seems to get mixed reviews 🤔) 💙 Would love to know your faves too @BarbaraBB 6y

SandyW 1. The Year of the Flood. 2. Oryx and Crake 3. Madd Addam. I read them awhile ago, but read Oryx first and didn't feel like I missed anything. Reading the other two give more depth to the story, but I think you could read Oryx as a stand alone book. Even my husband, who doesn't read fiction 😱, liked this book. (Enjoy!) Also, I'd heard HBO was going to do an adaptation, but I think that's stalled. 6y

tif I'm definitely going to be reading more Margaret Atwood this year. 6y

BarbaraBB @batsy @Cinfhen I‘d say Alias Grace! I loved The blind assassin as wel. The Robber Bride is enjoyable but less original. For me Cat‘s Eye was a pan! 6y

batsy @BarbaraBB Oh no! It was an absolute pick for me 😂 6y

BarbaraBB @batsy Haha! What was your favourite? 6y

laundry_piles Whew you plowed through this! I'm about a quarter way through but I'm definitely excited to check out the series. I'm also interested in reading more Atwood! 6y

Blaire 💗 Geraldine brooks - one maternity leave I got on a big kick with her books. If you like short stories my bookclub read stone mattress last year. It was quite good. I like almost all Atwood - edible woman made a big impression on me in college.

Stone Mattress: Nine Tales

Blaire

Edible Woman

batsy @BarbaraBB Enjoyed the ones you've listed, but so far favs are Cat's Eye (😁) and Alias Grace. 6y

Prairiegirl_reading @SandyW @Cinfhen oryx and crake comes first and it's really good!! 6y

emilyhaldi I‘ve been slow moving the past couple of days. Hope to finish by the end of the week!! Glad you loved this!!! 6y

Reviewsbylola Probably my favorite book of hers so far. 6y

Leftcoastzen You will love the series!Written in Reagan era ,I feel we were slipping backwards then. 6y

SandyW Thanks @Prairiegirl_reading . Interestingly I googled the order last night because I didn't remember and whatever site I was on gave that order. If I recall correctly, I think I thought that was a better order to read them at the time. At any rate, Oryx and Crake was my fave of the 3, and could be a stand alone book. 6y

Cinfhen Thanks @SandyW @Prairiegirl_reading I was able to reserve Oryx & Crake from OverDrive...I was disappointed @BarbaraBB @batsy @Kalalalatja the library didn‘t have

Alias Grace: A Novel

Cinfhen I‘m not a big fan of short stories @blaire but I‘ll keep that book in mind, thanks 😊 6y

Prairiegirl_reading @Cinfhen @SandyW oryx & crake was my favourite too. I liked year of the flood a lot and maddadam was meh. I also loved the handmaid's tale. I read edible woman many years ago and thought Atwood was beyond me (maybe at the time she was) so I didn't read any of hers until recently and now I love her and do plan to read more. Alias grace, blind assassin and cat's eye are all on my tbr. 6y

Cinfhen I thought Blind Assassin was excellent @Prairiegirl_reading I read it a few months ago as part of a Litsy group read @JenP did an awesome job hosting - maybe she'll do another Atwood?!? 6y

JenP @Cinfhen ooh, maybe 😁 6y

Cinfhen 🙏🏻🤞🏼🤞🏼 @JenP 😻 6y

JenP @Cinfhen I‘m planning on something along these lines but probably for March as I may do a buddy read of first if there is interest

To the Lighthouse

Cinfhen I'll be looking forward to March or April...whenever you're ready to go @JenP I'd read To The Lighthouse but I feel "over committed" to Feb already with @emilyhaldi A Confederacy of Dunces , Snow Child for IRL bookclub and @MinDea with

Snow Falling on Cedars

Cinfhen And... a mini buddy read with @TrishB

The Secret Scripture: A Novel

JenP @Cinfhen ooh, I‘ll be curious to see what you think of confederacy of dunces. I have some strong feelings about it. We‘re reading to the lighthouse for our goodreads group so I‘m guessing it will mostly be group members joining us. 6y

Cinfhen I'm honestly nervous about Dunces @JenP it's NOT something I'd normally choose to read 😬🙄 6y

emilyhaldi Don‘t be nervous it‘s going to be FUN!!!!! 🍾💃🏻🎉🎈 #dunces 😆 6y

Cinfhen Hehehe ❤️the hashtag @emilyhaldi #Dunces 😜👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 6y

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Morr_Books

The Handmaid's Tale | Margaret Atwood

I admittedly am still not very far into #HMTale but I did take a break from shopping yesterday to read for a little bit and enjoy the nice weather. Fate has decided to give me a snow day today (in Texas!) so I can finish it. 😄❄️ @Cinfhen @Booksbymybed @emilyhaldi @CocoReads @Tove_Reads @tif @ElishaLovesBooks @laundry_piles

CocoReads Enjoy your snow day. I‘m still waiting for our lake effect to hit so I may be able to take one tomorrow. 6y

emilyhaldi Nice!!! Enjoy your snow day ❄️☃️ 6y

Booksbymybed Enjoy the snow! 6y

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ElishaLovesBooks Enjoy! We have lots of snow but no snow day!❄️❄️ 6y

Morr_Books @CocoReads @emilyhaldi @Booksbymybed @ElishaLovesBooks It's more like ice but I'm definitely enjoying reading in my pajamas when I would normally be at work. 6y

CocoReads Oh ice is the worst. That‘s usually what keeps me home because I have 4 wheel drive so snow isn‘t a bother—but ice doesn‘t care what you drive. However, these days I‘ve been taking every opportunity to stay home. 😉 6y

Cinfhen Glad you‘re safe & warm inside with a good book...ice is the worst 6y

Booksbymybed Ice isn't fun at all, but being inside on such a day is lovely💕 6y

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tif

The Handmaid's Tale | Margaret Atwood

This post contains spoilers

show me

I'm wondering how those who've read both books feel about them. Do you prefer one to the other? What similarities and differences do you see? Given the similarish endings, do you feel one was more effective than the other? #hmtale #thepower #feminism

Cinfhen Love these covers side by side❣️will let u know after I finish #HMtale 6y

MrsMalaprop I liked both, but feel there was more depth to HMT. Also The Power was solely about women uprising. The Power feels so NOW though in terms of the #metoo and #timesup movements. 👊👊 6y

tif @Cinfhen looking forward to hearing your thoughts 6y

tif @MrsMalaprop see, I'm the opposite, I felt there was more depth to The Power. While I like both books I definitely preferred The Power, probably because of how now it feels like you said. 6y

UrsulaMonarch @MrsMalaprop @tif interesting! I liked both too but preferred HMT because it seems terrifyingly not improbable. I thought it was interesting how every offense against men in The Power was something that happened in reality against women, but it was also a little facile to me. 6y

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Cinfhen

The Handmaid's Tale | Margaret Atwood

Day 3 with this outstanding book....has anyone else looked up the phrase "Nolite te bastardes carborundorum"?!?!? #HMtale

Booksbymybed, emilyhaldi, CocoReads, Tove_Reads, ElishaLovesBooks, Morr_Books, tif, laundry_piles

ElishaLovesBooks I‘m still at the beginning of the book. Haven‘t gotten to that part yet! 😊 6y

Foragingfantasy I looked it up when I read it! 6y

Cinfhen I totally want the t-shirt @Foragingfantasy ❤️😊✊🏼 6y

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hordner I want the shirt too 😁 @Foragingfantasy and @Cinfhen - I imagine wearing it will feel discreetly rebellious 6y

tif @Cinfhen I actually knew about it from before I read the book so I didn't have to 😀 6y

Cinfhen Ha! Exactly @hordner 💪🏼😍 6y

Andrea4 As someone who studied Latin, this phrase kinda drives me bonkers! 😂 #classicistsoflitsy 6y

Cinfhen Apparently it‘s fake Latin @Andrea4 🤫🤓 6y

Andrea4 @Cinfhen oh yes, very much so but to someone who knows Latin it doesn't even make sense as fake Latin...it's hard to explain. Lol 6y

Annl @Cinfhen I saw that you and @LauraBeth and @DeborahSmall wrote in @DebinHawaii last post. I wrote on a previous one. Seems you are as worried about her as I am? Wonder if anyone has her contact info. I tried looking for it on her web site. 6y

Cinfhen I think I have an email for her... I will check and let you know if I find it and hear back from her @Annl 😣 6y

emilyhaldi I'm definitely enjoying this more than the other dystopian books I've read recently! Almost at the halfway mark 👍🏻 6y

LauraBeth Thanks for checking on her @Cinfhen - I‘ve been worried about her. 6y

DeborahSmall @Annl @Cinfhen @LauraBeth yes, thanks Cindy. Really worried, very traumatic experience xx please let me know if you hear from her 😘 6y

Booksbymybed Looked it up and there's an explanation further in the book. 6y

Cinfhen Yes; I got to that part later on @Booksbymybed 😉 6y

TrishB I was worrying too 👍🏻 would be good to know she‘s ok! 6y

Cinfhen I'm concerned @TrishB @LauraBeth @Annl @DeborahSmall I did email @DebinHawaii and she did not respond 😥😔I hope she's on vacation and doesn't have internet access 🙏🏻 6y

Annl Thanks for trying @Cinfhen. Let's hope we hear from her soon. 6y

TrishB Fingers crossed 😔 6y

Tove_Reads Did something happen to someone? Totally missed it! As far as the book goes, I‘m about 60% in, and tbh not totally sold. 6y

Cinfhen Interesting @Tove_Reads my buddy @GlassAsDiamonds HATED this book so you're not the only one who may not be a fan...a few of us have noticed that our friend @DebinHawaii hasn't posted in over a week and she's usually active on Litsy so we are just missing her and hoping all is ok 💜 (edited) 6y

LauraBeth Thanks for checking @Cinfhen - hopefully, she‘s okay and we are worried for nothing. *edit* just saw her post (edited) 6y

Annl Thanks @Cinfhen for reaching out to Deb through email. So glad to read she is on the mend. I love this community! 😀 6y

Cinfhen You're so welcome @Annl but you really put the idea in my head...I forgot I had debs email...im so relieved she's on the mend and I'm looking forward to seeing her beautiful posts in good time 😃 6y

Tove_Reads Finished it. Not for me. I get you @GlassAsDiamonds! This was my second, and last Atwood. 6y

GlassAsDiamonds @Tove_Reads 😂😂😂👋🏻👋🏻👋🏻 Join me in this very small club!!!! @Cinfhen - We are growing in numbers!! 😊😊😊 (edited) 6y

Cinfhen Oh no!!! I love how as readers we each feel something differently from reading the same book @Tove_Reads @GlassAsDiamonds 🤓 6y

GlassAsDiamonds @Cinfhen ordinarily, I‘m with you but this has been such a lonely club, for tonight..... YAY @Tove_Reads !!!! 😊😊😊 6y

Tove_Reads @GlassAsDiamonds I‘m sure there is at least one more - we would be three!!! 6y

Cinfhen Yes, I recall seeing ONE other lonley hater 😂 @Tove_Reads @GlassAsDiamonds 😜 6y

GlassAsDiamonds @Cinfhen 😂😂 @Tove_Reads we must find this other poor soul!!! 🤣🤣🤣 6y

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