The Handmaid's Tale: Special Edition by Margaret Atwood
Narrated by Claire Danes
Blurb:
"Are there any questions?" The final line in Margaret Atwood's modern classic, The Handmaid's Tale, has teased and perplexed fans since the book's original release more than 30 years ago. Now, in this Audible Original production, listeners get some of the answers they've waited so long to hear.
Featuring an all-new interview with Professor Piexoto, written by Atwood and performed by a full cast, The Handmaid's Tale: Special Edition is a must-listen for both fans and newcomers alike. Emmy Award winner Claire Danes (Homeland, Temple Grandin) gives a stirring performance of this classic in speculative fiction, where the message (and the warning) is now more timely than ever. In addition to rich sound design that honors the audio origins of Atwood's classic, the special edition also includes a brand-new afterword from the author and an introduction written by author Valerie Martin (Mary Reilly, Property).
After a violent coup in the United States overthrows the Constitution and ushers in a new government regime, the Republic of Gilead imposes subservient roles on all women. Offred, now a Handmaid tasked with the singular role of procreation in the childless household of the enigmatic Commander and his bitter wife, can remember a time when she lived with her husband and daughter and had a job, before she lost everything, even her own name. Despite the danger, Offred learns to navigate the intimate secrets of those who control her every move, risking her life for mere glimpses of her former freedom, and records her story for future listeners.
Whether you're a fan of the original novel or someone who has recently discovered it, The Handmaid's Tale: Special Edition will shock, impress, and satisfy all those who listen.
My Review:
The Handmaid’s Tale is a powerful novel that, in my opinion, should be required reading for everyone. I’ll be honest, I’m not a fan of dystopian novels because I find them depressing. I tend to think we as a society stand on the verge of a dystopian society and the more unacceptable things we allow to carry on, the closer we get to living in a world like The Handmaid’s Tale, The Selection, or The Hunger Games.
Even though I don’t generally like this genre of book and probably would not have enjoyed it when I was younger (and probably would not have read it now if I had not watched and become addicted to the Hulu show.. which admittedly I only started watching because I’d previously liked some of the actors/actresses in previous roles) I found the writing shined - horrifically describing a society and a new reality for Offred that the reader finds unfathomable as the narrator reminisces about the way her life was before Gilead. This book broke my heart while simultaneously scaring me far more than any horror novel could because the phrase in my mind while listening wasn’t “this couldn’t happen here” but instead, “oh my, what if this happened?”
As I listened to the audiobook version of The Handmaid’s Tale instead of reading the book, I did enjoy Claire Danes’s narration as well as the other narration at the end of the audiobook. It was interesting to hear bits and pieces of what environments inspired the author to write this book and I found the essay to be spot on. It does feel as if the panel in the future was making light of Offred’s plight. On a side note, I hope that the end of Offred’s story is less vague when we get to that point on the Hulu show.
My Rating:
4 of 5 Stars!
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