Here's why Ratna chose The Testaments...
The Handmaid's Tale was one of my favorite books when I was a high schooler, so a sequel to that dystopian nightmare seemed like the best (worst) thing ever. I couldn't wait to be reunited with the characters I had come to love and loathe in Gilead.
About the book
The Testaments
By Margaret Atwood
More than fifteen years after the events of The Handmaid’s Tale, the theocratic regime of the Republic of Gilead maintains its grip on power, but there are signs it is beginning to rot from within. At this crucial moment, the lives of three radically different women converge, with potentially explosive results. Two have grown up as part of the first generation to come of age in the new order. The testimonies of these two young women are joined by a third voice: a woman who wields power through the ruthless accumulation and deployment of secrets. As Atwood unfolds The Testaments, she opens up the innermost workings of Gilead as each woman is forced to come to terms with who she is, and how far she will go for what she believes.
‘Dear Readers: Everything you’ve ever asked me about Gilead and its inner workings is the inspiration for this book. Well, almost everything! The other inspiration is the world we’ve been living in.'
--Margaret Atwood
"The women of Gilead are more fascinating than ever." --NPR
A chat with the author
About the reader
Ratna Kamath, English
Ratna has previously recommended:
- Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng