Common Sense Media Review
By Michael Berry
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Gripping dystopian novel of religious state against women.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 16+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 8 parent reviews
Based on 17 kid reviews
Kids say this book is an intense and important read that tackles relevant themes about women's rights, but is best suited for mature audiences due to its explicit content and dark themes. While some younger readers may appreciate its literary merit and depth, many reviewers agree that it contains scenes of violence, sexual content, and challenging subject matter that could be too much for those who are sensitive or not yet ready for such realities.
- mature audiences
- intense themes
- explicit content
- important messages
- thought-provoking story
Summarized with AI
Summarized with AI
What's the Story?
The narrator of THE HANDMAID'S TALE, known only as "Offred," tells of her life in the monotheocracy of Gilead, in what used to be the United States, sometime in the near future. She is a handmaid, kept to breed with "the Commander" and provide an heir at a time when the human birthrate is dangerously low. As she remembers the years before her captivity and begins to dream of an end to her captivity, Offred develops new relationships with the Commander, his Wife and their driver. But can she trust any of them?
Is It Any Good?
Details matter to Margaret Atwood, and Offred's tale is related with precision and deep compassion. The Handmaid's Tale is one of the most acclaimed dystopian novels of the 20th century. An uncompromising portrait of a totalitarianism and institutional misogyny, it critiques fundamentalism in all its forms.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about why dystopian novels -- like The Handmaid's Tale (1985) and The Hunger Games (2008) -- continue to be such a popular genre.
Why do you think author Margaret Atwood appends "Historical Notes" to the main narrative of the novel?
Do you think women's rights are in jeopardy today? Where and how?
In what ways can religion can shape government -- and vice versa?
Book Details
- Author :
- Genre : Literary Fiction
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : Anchor Books
- Publication date : September 13, 1985
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 16 - 17
- Number of pages : 311
- Last updated : October 9, 2025
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