Four Stars

My favorite part about The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood is the exquisite poetic cadence of the prose. This nuance does make for a slower read. But, this book is one to fully understand, so reading carefully is crucial. In genre, it reminds me of Fahrenheit 451. There is a similar prophetic quality in some of the mores--current issues in our society that could only be predicted or assumed at the time of the book's original publication--that set up the dystopian model for Atwood's world. Perhaps that is why there has been a resurgence in readership along with increased publicity from the popularity of the current TV drama. Whatever the reason, I believe it to be a modern classic that will be used as a literary example for future readers and writers.