Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale is gaining a lot of attention recently not just because of the upcoming Hulu adaptation with Elisabeth Moss as Offred, but because of the novel’s resonance with our current political moment. Atwood’s 1985 best-selling novel is currently number one on the Amazon bestsellers list, beating out an unsavory new release that will not be named here. It’s not too difficult to see why readers are once again fascinated with a fundamentalist totalitarian regime that treats women as property of the state.
If these last few months were a literary genre, they’d be dystopia–you’ve probably heard countless references and allusions to some kind of fictional evil regime by now, as we all try to make sense or joke about what’s going on. George Orwell’s 1984 similarly popped up on Amazon’s bestseller’s list after the phrase “alternative facts” appeared and opened up conversations about censorship and a complete disregard for truth. The demand resulted in Penguin putting through a larger than usual reprint, and it’s currently 3rd on the Amazon list.
The Hulu series doesn’t premiere until April 26th, so you have plenty of time to give it a read beforehand or even to just book club it with your friends. Heck, make it a Valentine’s Day present!
(via Vulture)
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