What I Read in April: The Testaments by Margaret Atwood
Overall rating: 6/10
Easy to read?: Easy/Medium/Difficult
Length: Short-medium
Themes: feminism, dystopia, freedom, autonomy, totalitarianism, libertarian versus ultra-conservative, conspiracy, rebellion, religiosity
Time period: the future
Firstly, I do have to explain the lower rating despite my overall enjoyment of the book.
In short, I think Margaret Atwood's literary 'voice' in this book isn't as strong as that in The Handmaid's Tale (henceforth 'THT'). While both are action-driven, THT's pace is staccato-like, which Atwood employs cleverly, methodically and precisely. The Testaments doesn't contain much of that. Sentences read easily, simply and flow well, but don't have as much aesthetic merit as the first novel.
The Testaments is plot-heavy and the characters that appear (we follow three ladies, whose stories converge towards the climax of the book) vary in depth and complexity.
The Aunt character is the most complex character depicted of the three, with a backstory weaving neatly into Gilead's founding history (perhaps it is because of this that she has a depth that the other two characters don't possess). I find the other two girls and their stories flat and lacklustre at times.
I read from a Goodreads review that this seems to be Atwood's attempt to bridge the first novel to the Netflix series, as if to package it up neatly for the big screen. To me, it reads as a young adult novel. It was a fast and easy read, and I wanted more of the world of Gilead.
I understand the disappointment surrounding this sequel as it doesn't quite blow you away stylistically, plot-wise and the character-wise. The key to enjoying The Testaments is to forego comparing it to The Handmaid's Tale.
Book Design Appreciation:
I have to give a big shout-out to the designer who created the graphics and icons on the section headings and the book cover. He/she cleverly weaved hidden figures into almost every design. You’ll have to pick up the book to understand what I mean. But one teaser is in the cover—there’s a pony-tailed female figure on the main woman’s hooded bodice.