The Testaments: The Sequel to the Handmaid's Tale
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Margaret Atwood still slaps! I love The Handmaid’s Tale (both the book and the show) and 34 years later, she does it again, a little different this time around.
If you’re looking for the same slow, introspective pace of the first book, this is not it. The Handmaid’s Tale is not only a world-builder for the country of Gilead, it also provides a deep dive into the mind of Ofred, a victim of that world. Ofred is an unreliable narrator and ambiguity suffuses the book so much that it almost becomes another character.
The Testaments takes another approach; it’s more action-oriented and has three narrators with very different perspectives of Gilead, rendering the country more tangible in the context of global affairs. It follows Aunt Lydia (a continuation of the previous book, a high-ranking official in Gilead who rules over the handmaids), Agnes (a young woman living in Gilead), and Daisy (a young woman living in Canada). Each of these characters were deeply interesting to me, although I’ll admit that they were slightly more surface level than Offred given that they had to share the space. If anything, I wish that Atwood had made the book longer and given each character more time.
While The Handmaid’s Tale leaned into bleakness and lack of answers, The Testaments is much more hopeful and concrete. What will happen when Aunt Lydia, Agnes and Daisy all come to a head? Well, we get to find out! The suspense leading up and the climax that results is all very satisfying as a reader. My only complaint about the plot itself is that some things work out a little too conveniently. You have to suspend disbelief, especially with regards to Daisy’s character.
I’m fine with that. If the writing is up to snuff, I’ll suspend disbelief all day baby. And Atwood’s writing chops are certainly still there. I especially liked how she wrote Aunt Lydia’s character– a complicated woman with a gravitas that’s both beautiful and terrifying.
Overall, The Testaments received 4 out of 5 flames. The Handmaid’s Tale set a very high bar for me and The Testaments came close to that bar in a new, innovative way. I love that Atwood gave us a continuation of such a well-written story while still providing a fresh spin.
