I read The Handmaid’s Tale a few years ago, and it easily became one of my favorite books. So beautiful and heartbreaking, all at the same time.
There’s something about horror movies that, while they can be scary, they have an inherent fun to them. Because know demonic clowns and zombies aren’t real, so it’s fun to revel in the fear of something we know can’t touch us. Not in real life.
And that’s why dystopian tales are so much harder to consume. We like to think that our empires can’t fall, but our governments are not permanent. They fall all the time.
So, a tale about an extremist sect gaining enough power to overthrow the US government, while far-fetched, isn’t impossible.
Recently, I discovered the Hulu show based on the book and powered through all ten episodes of the first season in short order. How it fares against the book, I can’t say for sure, because I don’t have specific memories of the novel’s plot points. It’s been quite a while since I read it.
I do remember it had a profound effect on me.
As did the show. It’s brutal, heartbreaking, and at times, hard to watch. But it’s also incredibly well made and captivating. You can’t look away from the horror occurring onscreen.
I will stay away from discussing any particular plot points, because I would prefer you pick up the book, and then the show, to learn how the story unfolds. Handmaid’s Tale is one of those stories that works better the less you know about it.
All I will say is be prepared for heartbreak. And an amazing story that will stay with you for a long time to come.
