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The Handmand's Tale is, among other things, a social critique at its best. I would dare to name it one of the best dystopian novels ever written. It is a truly brilliant novel, intelligent and provocative in all the right ways. "The Handmaid's Tale" is written as a diary of a nameless woman. We never learn her true name, only that she is named Offred, meaning she belongs to a certain Fred or better to say she is owned by him. The society in which our protagonist lives is one where women have no rights, especially women like her, those selected to be breeding machines. It is religious dictation of sorts, one following a catastrophe that left most women infertile. So, some women are chosen as handmaids, their purpose being to give a child to a 'chosen' married couple. Women who are in any ways marked as 'others' (those who have been married to divorced man or were divorced themselves) are proclaimed sinners and sentenced to becoming handmaids.

The Handmad's Tale is a very personal narrative with a human heroine and a heartbreaking account of the world that looks pretty much like hell and yet it is not unimaginable that it could exist. Sadly, in some parts of the word this dystopia truly exists. The tale of Offred has touched me deeply. She is such a human protagonist. I think that is what makes this novel so great. Not only is the social critique well written, as a reader you do really care about Offred and what happens to her.

I think this might just be my favorite novel written by women. I certainly enjoyed reading it- slowly- something I don't normally do. I had a feeling there was something in it that needed time to settle down inside my mind. Atwood is what I have been searching and not finding in feminist literature. As a writer, she is down to earth and human but also extremely intelligent. She sees the real problems, she understands the forces that shape society and she is a master storyteller. Atwood 's writing is always impressive, but she really hit gold with this novel. I read it years ago, and I plan to reread it again. I haven't seen the TV series yet, I'm worried it will ruin my enjoyment of the novel. I'm not against book being turned into films and series, but sometimes I want my reading impression to be the only one. I enjoyed The Handmaid's Tale a lot, and it is one of those books I can't help but recommend, especially to fans of Atwood and dystopian literature.