Monday, January 11, 2010

Handmaid's Tale

I read The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood for book group this week. Notoriously, this is the book I read at about 14, and this is where I learned about sex -- from a speculative fiction dystopia about subjugation of women and government control of reproduction and sexual acts for an entire society. It was excellent as a reread, although my life is certainly different now, and I am uncomfortably similar to the narrator as well -- in height, in age, in proven fertility. My heart broke repeatedly while I read about her separation from her child. Interestingly, the book is being referenced in modern news stories this month -- from institutionalized child care in Canada to the current health care reform's handling of abortion rights. I figure so many people turned out for book group today because after reading this book you either need a discussion group or therapy to deal with the fears and emotions it raises.
311 pages.

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