Finished Su 5/12/13
My post on Good Reads-
This is a powerful novel that suggests what life might be like under an American Christian Theocracy, and offers important insight into the issues of Female Equality and Reproductive Rights. The book would have worked equally as well if it had been presented as a conventional 'thriller', but Margaret Atwood is a poet and an essayist, and cannot resist the urge to create a literary work that is both intuitive and lyrical. The tale is not presented in a linear fashion, and scenes jump back and forth from past to present, and only reinforces the theme of disorientation in a world out of balance. It's a chilling and terrifying read that is far too close to contemporary reality. We live among a powerful and vocal minority who honestly believe that humans suffer from far too many freedoms and all of us would be much better off with a limitation of choice. This highly restrictive and punitive point of view can be found in ALL of the world's major religions, not just Christianity. I found it tellingly significant that in the 'Republic of Gilead', the Old Testament has replaced the Constitution, yet the Bible is kept under lock and key. The word of God and the supreme law of the land are on a strictly 'need to know' basis.
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