THE HANDMAID’S TALE: THE GRAPHIC NOVEL BY MARGARET ATWOOD (ADAPTED AND ILLUSTRATED BY RENEE NAULT)

-

BOOK NAME: THE HANDMAID’S TALE: THE GRAPHIC NOVEL

AUTHOR NAME: MARGARET ATWOOD (ADAPTED AND ILLUSTRATED BY RENEE NAULT)

GENRE: DYSTOPIAN, ILLUSTRATED

PUBLISHER: JONATHAN CAPE

BOOK BUY LINK: https://amzn.in/d/bGJ5T60


BOOK COVER IMAGE



BOOK REVIEW


I have wanted to read The Handmaid’s Tale since it started doing the round in bookstagram. But the dystopian setting and the heavy themes prevented me from doing so. When I learned from a fellow book club reader that there is a graphic-adapted version of the book, I immediately grabbed it without giving it a second thought. And I am very thankful this exists because otherwise, I probably wouldn’t have read it, and I even doubt if I would have liked it. 


In Margaret’s dystopian world, women are mere commodities who have no purpose other than to procreate. They are barred from the outside world and cannot even communicate among themselves. They have no freedom of speech and can’t have their wishes. They can’t eat as they want, live according to their choices, move freely, or even think. All they are allowed to do is to survive and get impregnated. And if anyone dares to do otherwise, the hanging wall will serve as an example for others. And Offred, a handmaid in the chancellor’s house, tries to break the code and survive the totalitarian regime. But will she? 


Honestly, after reading this graphic version, I realised I wouldn’t have survived the book. Though feminist fiction is within my realm, dystopian fiction is absolutely not, and my final experimentation, too, failed. The consolation is that this book was concise and quick, and I was able to finish it in a day. The artwork really helped with my reading, and that’s how the little understanding from the book came to me. 


But if you love dystopian fiction, then I see no reason why you shouldn’t read this book. It checks all the boxes for dystopian feminist fiction. The idea behind this whole concept is so mind-blowing, and it’s scary that this is still a possibility, as women like Offred still exist to this day. But if you are not a dystopian fan like me but still would want to read this book, then this is your best choice. 



MY REVIEW: 3/5

This is a part of Blogchatter’s #TBRChallenge

#penbooksandscalpel






Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

CHAPTER 1 - ALIZA AND AHMED

-
Image
Their eyes met for the second time in the day. Every time this happens, Aliza feels a ticklish sensation in her stomach. It's not that they have not been closer than just eye contact, but the jitters won't leave her alone. Her mother-in-law was busy scooping out the last few morsels of chicken from the bowl with a creaking noise that numbed Aliza's ears. Her father-in-law was lost in thoughts enjoying his chicken malai korma and tempered ghee rice.   ‘Aliza, can you get me some warm water?’ Aliza comes running with a jar of water to fulfil her new wife's duties, and Ahmed finds his moment just when Aliza is filling his tumbler and his parents are busy eating. He pokes her in the hip, which is faintly visible between her saree fold and her blouse. Aliza winces and moves behind quickly. She turns around to ensure no one has witnessed it and promptly returns to work, flashing a smile. Ahmed had to steal moments like these between daily activities because the house was alwa...
Read more

CHAPTER 4 - DISTANCE MATTERS

-
Image
'Congratulations on your promotion and transfer. We are looking forward to your full commitment to us. Do get back to this letter at the earliest with your answer.' Read the crafted piece of paper. Ahmed's parents were delighted and jumping with joy. They were chanting 'Alhamdulillah' fervently while Aliza stood confused. She could not make anything of this news because Ahmed's promotion meant everything to her. But his transfer would only mean that Aliza must stay back with her in-laws while he would visit only during weekends. She would happily do so, too, if not for her unsupportive mother-in-law. Aliza wanted to cry, and her eyes brimmed with tears that the world looked like a smudged canvas laying still in front of her. She looked at Ahmed pleadingly and waited until 10 to ask him if he really wanted to go. Asking in front of her in-laws would only mean the end of her good days. Ahmed did not look up because he knew what his transfer meant for both of them....
Read more

CHAPTER 2 - THE BACKSTORY - ALIZA

-
Image
  Aliza is the middle child of her family, with two older siblings and two younger ones. She did not always get her parents' attention because the oldest or the youngest sibling often stole it. She was mostly brought up by her oldest sister, Razia, who made sure she bathed, ate, and went to school on time. After Razia's marriage, her next older sibling Fahim brought home his wife, who had sworn to taunt Aliza all her life. Her younger twin siblings Samir and Ameera were at school, and they often stayed outdoors playing. So Aliza grew up to be the one taking care of her siblings while also managing to thrive herself. After finishing high school, she wanted to join college because her friends were also planning to, and they said studying in college will help a lot in the future. She was also the captain of her school's volleyball team and was a tough player. Aliza thought she could pursue her ambitions after school if she managed to convince her father. But her relatives had ...
Read more