Review: The Handmaid's Tale: The Graphic Novel

The Handmaid's Tale: The Graphic Novel by Margaret Atwood
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Note: The first in the series is The Handmaid's Tale, next comes The Testaments.

Another Note: The review is only late, because I really didn't feel like writing a review for this one, but thought it best for people who are just starting on this series and might lend them some caution before they start.

Now..

A true pick of 2019.

Not my favorite personally but still it was popular so I had to read it.

Yup the popularity bell rings once again.

Anyway let's continue.

The cover - It's the graphic novel version, so the artwork inside and out is beautiful. Vivid, colorful and absolutely realistic, it makes you feel as if you've actually transferred to the world of the Gilead. So I absolutely had to give points to that.

The storyline: Well it seems interesting enough to want to give it a read.

Brain: Yeah that's why you rejected it at first glance, especially when it's sequel cam out.

Okay so maybe I had a hard time convincing myself that it was even good enough to read, I mean it's got everything depressing in it, despite the colorful art inside and well-written dialogues (although barely existing in this one), so naturally I was skeptical and not inclined at all to read it.
But it's interesting enough with declining births, humanity growing older without next generations, and not enough left for hope. Only Offred, our main heroine, can save the day if she can somehow manage to be able to give a child to the Commander and his wife, and stand long enough with the harsh rules and setting around her with the other handmaids, and tough instructors such as Aunt Lydia. So definitely interesting.

Plus it rings out like Children of Men. (I wish I could show the image for it, but seems like goodreads doesn't allow me).

For those who have never heard of Children of Men (I have unfortunately, after having to watch it for an English exam..), it is a simple story about how the future children of humanity haven't been born in the last 18 years and now, there has been some hope discovered, our main hero Theo has to make sure this hope stays alive and allows humanity to live longer without it going to dust.

Yes it's almost similar to the handmaid's tale. As the child in the movie is, in a way, the handmaid girls, they're substitutes, "the vessels" for giving a child, they're the only hope left for humanity and theo is the republic of gilead, desperately trying to preserve that hope.

Only difference: He wants to let the hope live normally, have a life. Gilead however wants to squash any normality left from the handmaids and make them pure vessels for children births.

That's it. Literally.

Yes I'm still not in favor of these stories, because not everyone prefers a reality dose in novels, especially when reality is already hard to live through.

But occasionally you lose your mind and read these novels. Moving along..

The characters -Not a lot shown from their personalities, their behavior and all. Offred is a scared, obedient young woman, who can be manipulated faster than a toy car with a remote. Nick is a charismatic, problematic young man who ends up being a help of sorts in the end. Aunt Lydia is the pure King Kong ruler of the republic. She's the director, writer, actor for the teachers and staff in general in leading the republic to it's success. A manipulator but not too hard to love, so she's in my good books a bit. Commander and his wife are irrelevant as they barely show. Captain Judd, the main bastard behind the shenanigans is, you know, a bastard, so can't really change it, case closed. So not much to tell, to see, and change from their personalities. No points given.

The overcoming of problems -Nothing really. Not until the end anyway. So no point commenting on it. No points given.

The ending -The cliffhanger, will always be a cliffhanger, no matter how we describe it. Can't spoil it and at the same time, nothing is left to say anyway.

So yeah overall, a total disappointment.

But maybe if I had the actual book, it would be a 3, maybe 3.5 at best.

But with this one, its a 2, 1.5 at best.

PS: The sequel has been released, so please check that one out. I will be posting my thoughts about it soon.

PPS: Always check which version of the novel you're reading. Saves so much trouble later on.

Alternate Name for The Handmaid's Tale: Children of Men: The Novel.

Until the next read,

TMR

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