Jack Tepperman

I know that there have been negative reviews about this sequel, mostly referring to the plot. But in my opinion, the actual writing of the novel is brilliant; the subtle digs at American society today are both humorous and astute, the different voices of the various characters are right on, and the depictions of life and culture in Gilead are a fascinating read. And what is wrong with a plot that is a " page turner"? It kept me eager to continue to let the story unfold. And what is wrong with interweaving details from both the TV series and the original novel? I thought that that was a very clever usage of both character and plot. In summary, I feel that the themes upon which the novel is based ( religion, gender equality, subversive societies etc) are far more important than whatever one feels about the plot development. As always, Atwood is a total visionary in terms of painting the ( yes) bleak picture of the deep flaws in current societies today. Read her other dystopian trilogy novels, and be kept awake at night for weeks, thinking about how close she comes to predicting a realistic ending to modern society.