"I never thought the leopards would eat MY face!" - Serena Joy, probably 

There is a reason this is a timeless piece of feminist literature. Atwood's portrayal of a not-so-distant future where women essentially become the property of powerful men is uncomfortably feasible, but this is what makes The Handmaid's Tale a necessary read.

Reading this in 2024 was especially poignant, with the overturning of Roe v. Wade happening in the US a few years before and the threat of Project 2025 looming on the horizon. This book is a reminder that Gilead is a closer reality than we might think.

Atwood does an incredible job examining the ways in which white Christian nationalism takes root in society. The edition I read had a very interesting foreword explaining that if such a government was to come to power in the US, it would be lead by white Chrisitan nationalists, thus legitimizing the fact that most Handmaids and all leaders in Gilead are presumed to be white. She explains that such a government would systematically attempt to erase people of all other identities. It is also necessary to note that everything that happens in the story is based on real horrors that have been inflicted upon women around the world, and that this life is a reality for many.

The Handmaid's Tale truly showcases the insidiousness of far-right ideology, and the way that it sneakily becomes a part of society until it's too late.