Review: The Testaments by Margaret Atwood

I put off reading THE TESTAMENTS until recently because, well, reality was a little too disturbing to suspend my disbelief enough to enjoy the novel. Also, The Handmaid’s Tale was always one of my favorite books, and the anticipation of disappointment was too much for me to risk.

Atwood creates a believable continuation of Offred’s story without it being too precious. The parallel stories of Aunt Lydia, Agnes, and Daisy have distinct voices and each creates sympathy and understanding for the experiences described — yes, even Aunt Lydia!

Especially interesting was the description of the early days of Gilead and how the “Sons of Jacob” rounded women up and controlled them — even managed to get them to perform horrific acts in the name of survival. Later, the delicate and stressful balance of power and betrayal gets the spotlight and shows us the background for how some of the incongruent aspects of Gilead exist.

As in The Handmaid’s Tale, Atwood’s world-building is detailed and immersive throughout The Testaments. The frame tale reappears to book-end the women’s stories in a conference setting, and there is even some reference to the former conference and we get a quick peek at the dynamics between various researchers and presenters.

Well worth the read for any fan of The Handmaid’s Tale.