The Testaments Book Review

The Testaments Book Review

The Testaments Review on Youtube

I'd like to start this by saying I enjoyed the book. As a book I picked up and read, I would read it again. That said, I think this book is massively overrated as an overall book. The plot is simple enough. We follow three narrators all ranging in situation and life style. We do follow Aunt Lydia. A character who I find thoroughly frustrating. Let us just say I'm not a fan. Her treatment of the handmaids is cruel and dictator like. Though I know she doesn't carry all the power in Gilead, she has enough she could have been a better person. If you watch the show (spoiler) you'll know she hasn't always been the best when treating women well. Though in the book it almost feels like a different background. Leading to one of my problems with the book. What is written as canon from the show is not consistent. At least I didn't think so. I'm not going to go into the other two characters. I think they're best discovered for yourself. 

After all that I was left with a few problems. First I felt you were left feeling out of it if you haven't stayed caught up on th show. You could read it without having seen it, but there are easter eggs you'd miss. Some that make the book more interesting. Second I felt it was an unnessary sequel. Not to say I don't understand why it was written. With the current politics in the world we really need a sign of hope. Much as I think this wanted to be that, it wasn't. The entire point is to see the fall of Gilead I thought, but I was left wanting on that front. Neither to say it falls or doesn't. I just wasn't happy with the execution. 

In the end it felt like a cash grab to me. I'm not saying Atwood wanted the cash even, but someone did. This is not a classic like the orignal Handmaids. That book will last generations, and work for years to come when it comes to womens rights, patriarchy and totalitarianism. This did not feel as relivent to the current times as the orginal either. In general I just wouldn't reccomend buying it in hardcover, or paying full price at all. Maybe just get it from you local libray. Not worth the hype. Hope this was helpful. Talk to you friday.