The Testaments

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Sometimes finding your next book to read can be a challenge, sometimes even a chore. And if you’re like me, someone who constantly has to have a book on the go, there can be pressure and stress that comes with making decisions to continue in this relaxing pastime. 

Sometimes you know exactly what you want. And that’s great. I love when that happens. But sometimes you don’t, and you pick up something that you’re really not in the right mood for. This can go either way depending on how stubborn you are. And then sometimes you pick up a book that plays into a theme that is currently dominating your free time and interest, like my most recent pick. I’ve recently been listening to a few podcasts, namely Somebody You Love and The Big Sister Hotline, both of which are presented by women and explore the day-to-day experiences of women (mostly). So it really should come as no surprise that I picked up Margaret Atwood’s The Testaments as my next literary adventure. 

A sequel to The Handmaid’s Tale, The Testaments chronicles three stories from three central female protagonists: one in power in Gilead, one in privilege in Gilead, and one free from Gilead. Written as a confession and witness transcripts, the book gives us a wider look into Gilead and the overarching narrative is an exciting spy thriller (or feminist espionage) story that brings these three women together to change the corrupt and poisonous theocracy of their country. 

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Similar to The Handmaid’s Tale, this book paints an incredible and traumatic picture of a patriarchal regime with a subtle undercover noir story slithering along between the lines. The story is absolutely character driven: we’re given a complete history that leads all three heroines to their final destination of the beginning of Gilead’s fall and in true Atwood fashion, the exciting, climactic third act leaves us screaming for closure. Mercifully, the final chapter delivers the reader from anxious fretting and supplies the much looked for treat of a satisfying end. 

Written thirty-five years after The Handmaid’s Tale, The Testaments is an exciting way to close a chapter on fictional history (or dissuade it from becoming a future) filled with drama, suspense, and an intricate subterfuge plot line that is delightfully compelling.

Author: Margaret Atwood, 2019

Published: Chatto & Windus, an imprint of Vintage and part of Penguin Random House, 2019