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The Handmaid's Tale  By  cover art

The Handmaid's Tale

By: Margaret Atwood
Narrated by: Claire Danes
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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)

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What listeners say about The Handmaid's Tale

Average customer ratings
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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    1 out of 5 stars

depressing

Would you try another book from Margaret Atwood and/or Claire Danes?

Atwood - no Danes - perhaps

Has The Handmaid's Tale turned you off from other books in this genre?

Pretty much

Was The Handmaid's Tale worth the listening time?

Not for me

Any additional comments?

Toio much reflective of where we are heading. News is bad enough for me.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Chilling

This book absolutely gutted me. Told from the point of view of a normal person swept up in a time of political upheaval, I saw myself. Unlike most dystopian novels, this isn't about the daring underground hero or even the reluctant but competent resistance... it's an everyday person, not so different from you or I. And this story is only a small extrapolation from our current political state. It resonated profoundly with me. Highly recommend.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    2 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Good book, not crazy about the narration.

Claire Danes was. It a good narrator. She over annunciates and was very monotone. It was hard to distinguish the speakers from one another.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Loved this book. Claire Danes is excellent.

A fantastic novel that is both entertaining and thought provoking. Well read and engaging. Loved it.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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Worthy of your time.

I would recommend this book on its interesting story and enjoyable narrator. God save women.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Amazing

Loved this. Claire Daine's narration really brought the story to life. I had read this book a few years ago, but hearing the story is a totally different experience (in a good way!), especially considering the ending.

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Great Book. Can't believe I waited so long to read it.

Claire Danes reading this for audible was amazing. Such a captivating story. Definitely a MUST read(or listen to).

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A Story For Our Time

There has never been a better time to read the Handmaid's Tale. A prefect--absolutely perfect--performance by Claire Danes.

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

I thought it would be better

With all of the talk I thought I would really enjoy it, but it was just ok. I had more questions than answers when I finished. I couldn't really connect with characters.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

strange book!

this was an interesting book, but not for everybody. The idea of this happening to our society and way of life is terrifying.

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