The Handmaid's Tale and Other Reading Goals

    I am currently reading The Handmaid's Tale.  I choose this book initially because my mother and sister and law read it and had AMAZING things to say about it.   They felt I would like it because I typically enjoy reading novels that fit within the "dystopian" genre, especially if the themes and topics in the book are things that are relevant today.

I REALLY enjoy the way this book is written.  The author really paints a picture with very subtle strokes.  For example, the main character describes her room in a way that lets her know that most of the women who had been in her position before have attempted to kill themself.  The author never states this, but we can tell from reading the context clues. For example, it talks about all the picture frames having the glass removed and suggests that something had been done with shards of the broken glass.  They also talk about the windows being bolted shut because the bedroom is at a height that would be fatal to fall from, and all the furniture being too light to attempt to break it.  The light fixture is also described in detail, and the narrator talks about it appearing like it had once been a chandelier, but that anything had been removed that one could "Throw a rope over." Again, they don't tell us that suicide is an issue, but the reader is free to read between the lines and figure this out.

There really isn't a lot I don't like about this novel. Truly, one of the things might be some of the content being a little graphic in its treatment towards women.  While I understand that this is largely the point, and that it was written as a dark satire, I feel like it makes me a little uncomfortable, and it can make it difficult for me to want to read it at times.  Despite my discomfort, I feel that content is necessary for the book to have its desired impact.

I know that I haven't been the best at reading it--I've had this book by my bed for almost a year now, and I keep getting distracted by other things I want to read.  I am going to have this book read by the end of fall break.  In order to hold myself accountable, I'm telling my English classes, so I know I will do it.