This novel, winner of the Booker Prize 2019, picks up fifteen years after ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’ (1985). The story is shared by three narrators, and therefore provides three different points of view of past events and present occurances. This book would work as a stand alone novel but the combination of the two books gives a deeper understanding of the whole dystopian scenario, the ethos of the patriarchal land of Gilead. The TV series boosted enthusiasm for the original book and may even be marginally responsible for Atwood finally releasing a sequel. There’s a very satisfying feeling about this conclusion after such a long interlude and I’m happy that fans have been given a few answers. I do wonder whether or not the tale ends here, it seems a shame not to make it a trilogy.
Published by Vintage ISBN 1784708216
