The Handmaid's Tale

By: Margaret Atwood

Narrated by: Claire Danes

Length: 11 hrs and 1 min

Publisher's summary

Audie Award, Fiction, 2013

Margaret Atwood's popular dystopian novel The Handmaid's Tale explores a broad range of issues relating to power, gender, and religious politics. Multiple Golden Globe award-winner Claire Danes (Romeo and Juliet, The Hours) gives a stirring performance of this classic in speculative fiction, one of the most powerful and widely read novels of our time.

After a staged terrorist attack kills the President and most of Congress, the government is deposed and taken over by the oppressive and all-controlling Republic of Gilead. Offred, now a Handmaid serving in the household of the enigmatic Commander and his bitter wife, can remember a time when she lived with her husband and daughter and had a job, before she lost even her own name. Despite the danger, Offred learns to navigate the intimate secrets of those who control her every move, risking her life in breaking the rules in hopes of ending this oppression.

Cover Art by Fred Marcellino. Used with permission of Pippin Properties, Inc.

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©1985 Margaret Atwood (P)2012 Audible, Inc.

Critic reviews

“Claire Danes sparkles in this performance…Danes’s Offred is complex, and her flashes of intense strength highlight her vulnerability. This is a consuming listen, thanks to Danes’s emotional subtleties.” (AudioFile)

Great Narration

What does Claire Danes bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

I'm sure it will be easy to find lots of comments on the story (definitely timely and thought-provoking), but I just wanted to leave a note on how much I enjoyed the narration. This was one of my first full-length audio books, and I think Claire Danes really captured a lot of the characters' voices with her inflection/timing/tone/etc, and convinced me that audiobooks can enhance the experience of a book (since I've always preferred reading myself before). A worthwhile Audible purchase!

Ofmen

An echo of a shadow of a shadow of what could have been and still can so easily become our past.

All it takes for evil to take root is for good men and women to say nothing and do nothing.

Love trumps hate, love more - not less.

Blessed be.

Scary how quickly this could become true.

Would you listen to The Handmaid's Tale again? Why?

i will, after I recover. for me, it was terrifying. I can see this happening.

Who was your favorite character and why?

the main character. the only character.

Have you listened to any of Claire Danes’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

not listened to any, yet.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

I have no clue

Any additional comments?

I am still confused about a lot of things in this book, altho the " professor" at the end helped tremendously.

Very Interesting

What did you love best about The Handmaid's Tale?

Even thought the story was odd. I couldn't stop listening. Claire Danes also does a good job.

What other book might you compare The Handmaid's Tale to and why?

1984, because it is a future of what might happen to America if we continue down the track me are one.

Which scene was your favorite?

Her escaping the house and seeing out the Governor lives.

Who was the most memorable character of The Handmaid's Tale and why?

The writer. Because you get to be inside her head

Storytelling at its finest, read well to match

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

In almost every case, yes. It's a hard story to listen to at times, but it can be a compelling and thought provoking story.

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Handmaid's Tale?

There's too many moments to choose, and many of them would be spoilers that I'd hate to give away!

What does Claire Danes bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

This is quite possibly the best reading of a novel I have listened to yet. Claire Danes manages to give enough depth and importance and measure to each part of the story, and even individual characters, in such a natural way that it doesn't ever distract from the story, nor did it ever feel robotic. I loved how sometimes she read it in a slightly different tone than I might have interpreted it, giving me even more to think about in an already compelling and thought provoking take.

If you could take any character from The Handmaid's Tale out to dinner, who would it be and why?

Ofglen. If I could kick Offred in her red-clad tush for not taking better advantage of an alliance like that, I would. It would be fascinating to know some of her intel.

Any additional comments?

There's definitely some triggering parts of this story in here that could be traumatizing to some, but I feel like it's well worth checking out!

Couldn't stop listening

Would you listen to The Handmaid's Tale again? Why?

I can't listen to it again for a while. Frightening. Deeply moving.

What does Claire Danes bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Claire Danes is the perfect narrator. I pictured her portraying the character throughout. Steel-faced.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes, I finished in two days.

Good but a little dated

An interesting story, and extremely well they are rated, it's suffers from some of the same issues that animal Farm and 1984 do. That is, they were alarming and shocking visions of a dystopian future, when that i dystopian future seemed much more possible. Given today's very different strengths and concerns, some of the alarm and for boating seems point.

All in all though, the fun tale.

A believable story incredibly told

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

This is one of the greatest audiobooks I have ever heard. Claire Danes did a wonderful job creating the characters and adding suspense when necessary.

Who was your favorite character and why?

I really enjoyed Serena Joy. Each time she appeared in the audiobook, my ears perked up and I was prepared for the story to move to a different direction.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

The Handmaid’s Tale: A History of Our Future

Any additional comments?

I purchased this audiobook as a bundle with the e-book and I completely devoured it within three days. The story is captivating and unfortunately during this bleak political climate it almost feels inevitable. Everyone should read this book!

Audio Must

During the last hour you'll realize that this is a tale meant to be listened to, not read. Margaret Atwood and Claire Danes are amazing. Kept me enthralled during the majority of my road trip. I still have questions, so I'm going to have to listen again and hear what I've missed.

recommended

overall I really good story. I wanted more background on the plot/society. Good narration. interesting.