The Testaments

"The world was infested with men who were certain to be tempted by girls who strayed out of bounds; such girls would be viewed as loose with their morals."

And thus is the reason behind the coup that led to Gilead. But, The Testaments is so much more than that.

The Testaments, if you've been living under a literary rock this year, is the long-awaited sequel to The Handmaid's Tale. How long? Like, 35 years. I can't imagine the torture for those who read the book all those years ago and wondered what becomes of our handmaid and the world from which she appears to escape. It probably moved beyond torture to resolution; I mean, after 30+ years or so, you stop waiting for the sequel and come to your own conclusions. I feel like I cheated that I just read The Handmaid's Tale a few weeks ago and got to dive right in to see what happened next.

The Testaments is set 15 years after Offred appears to escape the clutches of her commander. She's not the protagonist here, though. Instead, Atwood (brilliantly) tells a story through three narrators. Two are young girls when their story begins, the other is the esteemed Aunt Lydia. They're telling the same story, but each through their own eyes. Each story is rich, compelling and haunting; each became more so when they came together.

The Handmaid's Tale (the book) gives hints about Gilead and the revolution that led to this patriarchy where women are categorized and treated by their ability to bear children. The Testaments brings that story out even more and we get a better understanding of what led to the overthrowing of the U.S. government and the rise of this religiously-couched new order. It shows how women were categorized into wives, Aunts, handmaids and Marthas. The power, the violence, the control... It all comes to life in this haunting sequel.

You'll be shocked (not shocked) to know that the dystopia was formed because men feared their ability to control themselves around women. And, you watch what happens as the women taught to be obedient come to discover that the world laid out for them is based on control and lies.

"Once a story you've regarded as true has turned false, you begin suspecting all stories."

What's most remarkable here is the way Atwood tells the story. Her three women tell parallel stories, but each is an unreliable. Their tales weave neatly together and I left completely satisfied.

I'm not sure how much of this story is told in the Hulu series. I'm not sure if it's based entirely on the first book or if it takes liberties with the story. But, if the series needs an ending, the tale contained in The Testaments is a fantastic place to find it.