My rating: 2 of 5 stars
I didn't like this book very much at first because I found the jumbled-up sequencing of events to be confusing and it wasn't easy to really understand what was going on. The plot became more clear and intriguing as the narrative went on and I liked it more then, although I'm not a big fan of these types of theoretical futuristic Orwellian types of stories--I find them hard to relate to and I always wonder at the author's motivations (cynicism/mockery of religion, government, traditional values, etc.?). Having said that, I think works like these have value in pointing out the dangers of extremism in just about anything. I related to the book better once it became clear that the handmaid, Offred, was living in the city of Boston (my hometown city) right near what used to be Harvard University. It was a worthwhile read, definitely not a favorite, but I'm glad I read it. It was good food for thought.
