"The Handmaid's Tale" by Margaret Atwood; 8/10

The last entry to this blog that was chosen by our ill-fated book club, this selection was made by Karen, who had been wanting me to read Atwood for a long time.  I was very glad I did. This was the best book, I think I can state with ease, that our book club got to.  There was one choice (also non-fiction, some travel book) that isn't getting reviewed here because I didn't actually even read it.  I got a few pages in, and Karen told me it was stupid and I just shouldn't bother. Having ignored this advice on "Desert Solitaire," to my great regret, I took it this time.  Sometimes it is a good idea to listen to your girlfriend.

There are people in the world, millions of them, whose brains and tastes are thoroughly corrupted by their partner.  Having watched an entire season of the horrendous show "Sex And The City" to better understand one girl, and having subsequently adopted music tastes that didn't really suit me for the sake of another, I believe I subsequently resolved in an unconscious way not to do this again.  I don't like things because Karen does or because she wants me to, though this may convince me to at least try them. I like them because I like them.  I think she does the same thing, and I think this is a minor cornerstone to the success of us. 

Did you care about that? No? Ok, I'll talk about "Handmaid" now.  This book was one of the best dystopias I've read, because I realized when I finished it that there are in reality societies NOW that function this way, and people in them who would foist them on the entire world if they had their way.

The protagonist is a woman in a heavily patriarchal society (is that fair to say?), a society in which she has almost no freedom and in which every aspect of her life is controlled by a government comprised of religiously fanatical men.Atwood's society is completely believable, functions well in its own right, and is very compelling.  More importantly, however, the characters and the dialog are very real, and hit home for me.  Finally, her writing is just very good.  I liked it so much that I mentally decided to check her out again someday, and that someday later came much sooner than I expected it to. 

A great work of feminism, a great work of science fiction, and a great work of literature.  I loved the ending, and my only complain about the book is that it was too short and/or rushed.  I wanted more, and I think it could have stood a little more length.  That says good things about the quality though.  Recommended!