Publisher: Penguin Random House
Published: 2019
Pages: 415
The first thing I have to admit is that The Testaments is the first Atwood book I have read.
I’ve long been a fan of television adaptations of her work. I devoured Alias Grace in a
single sitting, and I loved the first two seasons of The Handmaid’s Tale (before it went a
bit off the rails). Her reputation as a Booker winner had made me a little worried that
Atwood’s work would be too literary and heavy for me, so I put it off for as long as possible.
However, I received The Testaments as a Christmas present and decided that I should
finally give Atwood a go.
The Testaments shifts perspective between three main characters. In Gilead, it follows
the infamous Aunt and Agnes, the daughter of a powerful general,(and the actual daughter
of June). In Canada we meet Daisy, a mouthy preteen who serves as an effective foil to
the obedient and pious Agnes. The three perspectives start at different points in time, and
begin to convene as the narrative progresses. This was a little difficult to follow at the
beginning but I eventually got used to it. It actually sort of reminded me of the way the TV
adaptation of The Witcher was made. (I’m sure this is a common device used in many
different stories, but I just happened to have watched The Witcher recently). I loved the
use of the three different perspectives. Through Agnes and Aunt Lydia we got to see what
life is like in different echelons of society in Gilead. Daisy gives us insight into what life is like
living in Canada, in the shadow of the Gilead regime. Aunt Lydia’s story begins before the
regime takes hold in America, and through her eyes we get to see some of that transition.
I’ve been told by people who have actually read the book( and not just watched the series
like me) that The Handmaids Tale is a slow burn book. The Testaments is the opposite.
This book is action packed from the get go, building from intrigue and suspicion to a full on
chase. I found the book totally absorbing, I was unable to put it down and read it in a day and
a half (thank you quarantine). The world building is was excellent, the contrast between Gilead
and Canada is jarring and grounds what could be a ridiculous situation in reality.
I loved The Testaments, it makes me wish that I had had the sense to read The Handmaids
Tale first. Atwood’s writing is accessible and absorbing, and her world building is exceptional.
It goes without saying that her work as a feminist writer is as important as ever.
Five Stars *****
I’ve long been a fan of television adaptations of her work. I devoured Alias Grace in a
single sitting, and I loved the first two seasons of The Handmaid’s Tale (before it went a
bit off the rails). Her reputation as a Booker winner had made me a little worried that
Atwood’s work would be too literary and heavy for me, so I put it off for as long as possible.
However, I received The Testaments as a Christmas present and decided that I should
finally give Atwood a go.
The Testaments shifts perspective between three main characters. In Gilead, it follows
the infamous Aunt and Agnes, the daughter of a powerful general,(and the actual daughter
of June). In Canada we meet Daisy, a mouthy preteen who serves as an effective foil to
the obedient and pious Agnes. The three perspectives start at different points in time, and
begin to convene as the narrative progresses. This was a little difficult to follow at the
beginning but I eventually got used to it. It actually sort of reminded me of the way the TV
adaptation of The Witcher was made. (I’m sure this is a common device used in many
different stories, but I just happened to have watched The Witcher recently). I loved the
use of the three different perspectives. Through Agnes and Aunt Lydia we got to see what
life is like in different echelons of society in Gilead. Daisy gives us insight into what life is like
living in Canada, in the shadow of the Gilead regime. Aunt Lydia’s story begins before the
regime takes hold in America, and through her eyes we get to see some of that transition.
I’ve been told by people who have actually read the book( and not just watched the series
like me) that The Handmaids Tale is a slow burn book. The Testaments is the opposite.
This book is action packed from the get go, building from intrigue and suspicion to a full on
chase. I found the book totally absorbing, I was unable to put it down and read it in a day and
a half (thank you quarantine). The world building is was excellent, the contrast between Gilead
and Canada is jarring and grounds what could be a ridiculous situation in reality.
I loved The Testaments, it makes me wish that I had had the sense to read The Handmaids
Tale first. Atwood’s writing is accessible and absorbing, and her world building is exceptional.
It goes without saying that her work as a feminist writer is as important as ever.
Five Stars *****
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