"The Essex Serpent" Review

This book has firmly entered my "All Time Favourite Books" shelf - a difficult feat to accomplish but this has a well deserved spot right there.  I feel like it is very reminiscent of the Victorian classics but is written in an arguably more accessible style for the modern audience.  I am going to split the review into sections: narrative, character, setting and plot to ensure I don't miss anything out.

Character

Sarah Perry enticed us into the life of Cora, a young widow left alone with her son, who is recovering from a highly abusive relationship with her now dead husband.  Cora is intrigued by all things connected with nature and science - she does not promote the typical tropes of a Victorian character in the sense of religious beliefs and piousness. This actually serves heavily in her favour as she quickly establishes herself as someone who really does not quite fit into society.  This is particularly endearing and, at times, comical as she tries to navigate through etiquette and social conventions.  I really loved that she just came across in an independent, intelligent and emotionally strong manner. The reader does not get to know a lot about Cora's past except for some small hints in the way she speaks and acts at certain points but it is clear to ascertain that she has been formed by the cruel husband who died.  This made me truly admire her strength of character even more as I read more and found out more about her past.

William Ransome, a minister, comes into the novel at the time Cora steps out from the city and into the countryside to allow herself space away from her past.  She is formally introduced to Will as well as Stella, his wife, and their three children.  Will is a man of faith who is battling against a mass hysteria among his congregation who believe that an old mythical creature has come to their village to avenge some sort of sin on their part. Will's pragmatic approach to all that he is faced with is extremely charming to most but he and Cora persistently debate the world in terms of science vs. creation and nature vs. religion. Will is an extraordinarily caring husband and father to his family.  His flaws shown throughout remind us that everyone is human and can make mistakes - nobody should be expected to be perfect. I really enjoyed Will as a character because he was not predictable in ways that we would have expected.  There was always a sense of conflict he faced between morality and his own thoughts.

Francis Seaborne is Cora's son and a boy who presents behaviours typical of what may now be diagnosed as Asperger's Syndrome.  Francis finds it hard to show his emotions in normal, acceptable ways.  He loves his mother and cares deeply about her but never demonstrates this to her which constantly makes her doubt their relationship.  Francis is a collector of various strange objects.  He likes everything to be exactly where he puts it and not to be touched, moved or thrown away by anyone but him.  As a character Francis Seaborne evokes in me a very strong emotional response.  He is a lonely boy who is desperate for attention and affection from those around him.

Narrative and Writing Style

The novel is written in the third person perspective which allows more depth and exploration of the individual characters, the plot on the whole and the travel to and from the destinations where the story takes place.  There are, however, points throughout where we hear from the characters directly in the form of letters that are written to and from each other.  This is a deeply effective way reminiscent of certain tropes of the female Gothic genre.

The novel displays a heavy Gothic presence throughout as it deals with many tropes that we would expect to see in a novel of the genre.

 Firstly the frame narrative of the myth of the "Essex Serpent" which really ties the whole story together - it is Cora's reason to visit Aldwinter and to become acquainted with the Ransome family.  The prologue guides us nicely into that mindset by starting off with a death.  The frame narrative works in collaboration with the concept of madness and superstition to cause confusion as to what is real and what is not.  When Joanna Ransome and her friend, Naomi, get together they bring forward the concept of witchcraft and the occult.  They are seen performing rituals and spells and have a firm belief that they can influence events to come. 

Darkness and Isolation are also very clearly present from the cold, dark nights in Aldwinter to the black mourning clothes Cora wears, to the weather and use of pathetic fallacy to highlight the sense of dread and danger surrounding the village.  The village itself is isolated - far away from the nearest towns and a misty walk along the coast at that.  Each of the characters face their own form of isolation also - Cora is isolated by her contrary opinions, her rash behaviour and erratic mindsets, Francis is isolated because of his inability to adhere to normalcy and expected social conventions, Will is isolated in his lonely belief that there is no monster and his want to put the hysteria to an end.  Each character is imprisoned by their actions, thoughts or beliefs.

Disease, death and the afterlife very much play a huge role throughout the novel.  Luke, the physician Cora meets when he is caring for her dying husband, is a surgeon at the forefront of his game.  He is a surgical leader taking risks and performing new surgeries well ahead of his time.  He is there for the death of Cora's husband and to care for Stella Ransome through her time of illness.

The church vs. atheism is an interesting dynamic in the role it plays within the development of the relationship between Will and Cora - they respect each other's intelligence despite the fact that neither of them can agree on very much.  Each discussion between them brings the creation vs. science argument.  Corruption within the church is also evident in the flaws demonstrated by Will (NO SPOILERS).

The style of this novel is reminiscent of the Anne Bronte novel "The Tenant of Wildfell Hall" in which a woman and her young son travel to the countryside to escape the grief of the dysfunctional marriage she has faced.  In the same sense as Helen in "The Tenant of Wildfell Hall" Cora seeks not only new knowledge and discoveries on her travels to Aldwinter but also to find herself and retrieve the person she really is rather than who her husband has made her.  The conflicting love interests and seemingly impossible relationships brought back fond memories of Anne Bronte's work for me which is perhaps one of the reasons I so thoroughly enjoyed it!

Setting
The setting of Aldwinter was quaint, eerie and just spooky enough to make you second guess what was about to emerge from the sea mist next.  With the social housing crisis of the late 1800s along with the Bryant and May strikes, the great dock strike of 1889 and the general unrest among the city of London there was an abundance of history to incorporate. Sarah Perry subtly wove each strand of the current events through her plot in a beautifully elegant narration.  The novel grabbed the opportunity to demonstrate the advances in medical sciences which were being made at the time.  This was something I particularly enjoyed - Perry took advantage of our historically rich culture to build a very realistic overview of life in the 1800s-early1900s in Britain.

 On the whole the setting of the story was used in a way that was almost magical.  The novel is historical but also creates a spin off world within reality which makes the reader question their own sense of reality.  The ongoing conflict of opinions and beliefs of the church and science make it relevant and memorable but the hat tip to the past (Salem witch hunt hysteria) is very clear throughout too.

I cannot recommend this novel highly enough it is a leading contender for me for my favourite book of the year - and I honestly did not expect to be saying that after reading "The Handmaid's Tale" earlier in the year.

Meg x

August TBR

August has been crazy busy! I've not had a minute yet to sit down and write my TBR post. I've kept it a shorter list this month purely because I'm going to be so busy with going back to work after the Summer holidays.

1. "My Cousin Rachel" by Daphne DuMaurier
Philip Ashley is orphaned and therefore raised by his older cousin, Ambrose. He is the sole heir to his cousin's estate and absolutely sites on him.  Each year Ambrose takes himself off to Europe and leaves Philip in charge of the day to day running of the estate. The novel follows the year that Ambrose disappears to Italy and meets the mysterious Rachel - a widow. Ambrose writes letters to Philip updating him on his life and stays in Italy much longer than usual. After receiving some strange letters Philip takes himself to Italy to find that his dear cousin has died. He sets about finding out whether or not cousin Rachel had a role to play in his death.

2. "A Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue" by Mackenzi Lee

Monty is a rebellious young man brought up to be a gentleman but completely untameable. He attends England's finest boarding schools but is quickly expelled for being a tearaway.  He loves women, men, gambling and drinking which is met with his father's deepest disapproval. He goes off on a "Grand Tour" with his sister and his best friend but soon ruins the whole thing with his recklessness and bad decisions. Consequently he puts his life and those with him at serious risk. Monty, when faced with life and death, has to confront his inner demons and choose how he wants his future to pan out.



3. "The Essex Serpent" by Sarah Perry

There is strange news around the Essex waters of a mythical serpent come to wreak havoc with the lives of those around the coast. Recently widowed Cora loves nothing more than to collect fossils and has a deep desire to have her name in the British Museum for one of her discoveries. She sets off for Essex at once to investigate with her strange son and her loyal companion, Martha. When she reaches the village of Aldwinter she strikes a friendship with the local vicar and his wife. The unlikely friendship between Cora and Will (The vicar) is tested numerous times due to their completely opposing points of view - science vs. religion. They each have their own reasons to try to find the serpent but whether they can work together or not remains to be seen.

4. "See What I Have Done" by Sarah Schmidt
In August 1982 a brutal murder was committed in Massachusetts.  Lizzie Borden was accused of brutally murdering her father and stepmother with an axe but was later acquitted.  "See What I Have Done" is a fictional adaptation of the story looking at the household where the murders were committed.  The neighbours all believe the Borden family to be upstanding members of the community but those in the house have different stories to tell.  The story switches from one unreliable narrator to the next as the fragments of the real story unfold through those who were in the house.

5. "His Bloody Project" by Graeme Macrae Burnet
Another cheery book (NOT) about murders but this time a triple murder in a Scottish farming community.  Roderick Macrae is arrested but nobody understands why he committed such a terrible crime. This novel is told through a series of documents including police statements which all seem to be in conflict over who Roderick Macrae really is and what he is like. Some believe him to be a quiet and kind boy whilst others proclaim that he is evil and wicked.  The narrative unfolds through medical reports, psychiatric evaluations, transcripts from the court along with other documents that aim to unravel the mystery of why he committed such crimes.





6. "Caraval" by Stephanie Garber

When sisters Scarlett and Donatella Dragna are given the opportunity to fulfil their dreams of seeing Caraval (a show which takes place one per year that allows the audience to participate) the only thing stopping them is their evil, cruel father.  With the help of a sailer they manage to escape the island they have never before left and head for the island where Caraval is set to take place.  On arriving at the island Tella disappears and Scarlett is left with the task of finding her before time runs out.  This year the whole object of the show is to find Tella with a reward for whoever gets there first.





My TBR may change, be added to or have books removed this month.  I am already passing on the two book club books of this month but am hoping to read them next month instead.  Priorities!

Please head over to my Instagram to check out my new account is a Bookstagram with some Bullet Journalling on the way.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/booksbeyondtheblurb/?hl=en

Meg x

July Wrap Up Part 2

I really wish every month was as productive a reading month as July was.  It took me by surprise when I counted up the books I had read. 

I have to say that my Bi-Annual Bibliothon and my Booktube-a-thon did not go to plan!  I only managed 3 books while I was on holiday.  I am a bit disappointed about that but I was on a busy holiday with lots of trips and activities so did not get to reading as much as I would have liked!

Carrying on from part one of my wrap up the next book I read was "Lying About Last Summer" by Sue Wallman.  This was another 2 star read for me unfortunately.  It was all very predictable and felt it played into the stereotypical teenage character portrayal way too much.  The characters felt like so many other teenage characters and totally lacked any real depth or perception.  The story line sounded fantastic to me but I just feel that lots of the issues raised were dealt with a bit too clumsily.  The mental health awareness opportunity was completely missed in my opinion.  This had so much potential to really portray the struggles of depression, anxiety and substance abuse but really skirted around them.  I felt disappointed that such serious issues were dealt with so lightly and used as plot devices just for dramatic effect.  I think there's a real danger that this can glamourise mental health problems and substance abuse when the book is aimed at young people.  I also felt the abusive nature of one of the characters was not dealt with in a harsh enough way to raise awareness of emotional abuse and manipulation - all of these are important issues which need as much awareness raised as possible.  A real wasted opportunity.

"Sharp Shooter" by Marianne Delacourt was a 3 star read for me. It was a light read which was relatively quick.  The main character was quite funny at the start and I really liked her but as the plot developed she started taking herself very seriously and seemed to lose her perspective a bit.  The plot was up and down.  It was easy to follow but lacked depth in places to be honest. I won't probably read the rest of the series because this was a bit of a non-event for me.  I really don't have a lot more to say about this one so I am leaving it there.

Another 3 star read for me was "The Flame in the Mist" by Renee Ahdieh which I read as the first book in my readathon challenge. It was kind of sold to me as a "Mulan" retelling which it turned out not to be.  I was stuck between star ratings for this one because I did really like it but at the same time just felt like there was a lot of storylines started but then abandoned in favour of different strands which seemed unnecessary.  The main character was actually my least favourite character in the whole novel - she was uninteresting, childish and a bit of a brat really.  This story from the perspective of any of the other characters would have been much more effective.   There was a lot of really strong male characters but the female lead just needed a bit more oomph behind her.  She was so influenced by her emotions that she lacked any real direction.  The romantic storyline was unbearable.  It just seemed very forced and sudden - it really made me properly cringe at the thought of it.  I am not sure if this will be a series but, again, I won't be reading the rest of the series.

I think I was in a generous mood when I rated this one to be fair but "When Dimple Met Rishi" got 5 stars from me.  I loved the character of Dimple and felt like I really related to her sarcasm as well as her character as a whole.  The novel dealt with the pressure of following tradition and parental pressures on young people in a way that was accessible and could be connected not just to Indian families but any families really.  I liked the easy-going romance throughout the novel and the realistic portrayal of the complexities young people face in every day life. This was very much a fitting summer read which went well with my holiday mood.

The final (10th!) book that I managed to read this month was "History Is All You Left Me" by Adam Silvera which I gave 4 stars but really think it actually deserves nearer 4.5.  Firstly I thought it dealt with the LGBTQIA+ aspect in a way that was completely appropriate - it didn't make a big deal of the characters' sexuality or identity but instead focused on the main basis of the story - love and grief. I really liked the honesty of the characters and the very realistic way that they dealt with their emotions and reacted in ways that seemed very natural to the situations that they were in.  Griffin was the lead character and I really appreciated the way that his "quirks" were portrayed and accepted as part of who he is. The relationships within the novel were realistic apart from one part - I won't spoil it!!

I really loved getting through as much reading as I did in July but have no illusions that I will get anywhere near as much read in August - already I'm off to a bit of a flop! We will see what happens.

Meg x

July Wrap Up Part 1

This was an unusually productive month of reading for me so I have decided to post two wrap ups to save a huge long post!  I have already posted an individual review of "The Handmaid's Tale" both on here and over on my Goodreads page (megmoore18) so I won't bother with another one.

"The Red Parts" by Maggie Nelson is the first book that I read this month.  I gave it 4 stars on Goodreads and found it particularly interesting as it was new type of non-fiction for me to read. I have to say the book is very different to what I thought it was going to be.  My main thought was that it would describe the murder of Nelson's aunt in detail and investigate in more depth the truth even behind her family's reaction.  Instead it followed her journey to the courtroom years after the murder to witness the conviction of a man accused of the murder.  Nelson has a lovely style of writing in that she invites you in to her deepest thoughts and emotions but the actual narrative was just so different to what I expected that it took me a while to get into the story.   The story lacked fluidity in places and jumped around a lot.  It also became clear that perhaps Nelson reacted and viewed the events in a removed sense since she had not been born when her aunt was murdered.  It lacked an emotional connection to her aunt throughout which gave the narrative a very strange feeling considering the subject matter.

"Lorali" by Laura Dockrill was my next venture and I have to admit it was a lot better than I had expected it to be.  I gave it 3 stars but it had a lot of potential.  This was a relatively short read which made it an easy going novel to get through but it was very well written.  The author's skill was evident through the description included throughout.  I think I got on so well with this novel because I liked the dual narrative style as well as the narrators themselves.  This book was so hyped on Booktube that I felt obliged to read it but I was worried that I would hate it because I felt it may stretch too far beyond the realms of my imagination.  My main concern was that the mermaids and pirates would be all too childish.  I was wrong - I LOVED the pirates and the whole world that the mermaids lived in.  The history of how a mermaid was created was very impressive.  It was a well developed part of the plot.  The characters were just flawed enough to build realistic perceptions of them and to bond the characters to the readers.  This will by no means end up a modern classic but should be valued for what it is - a light-hearted summer read with a twist of fantasy.

The third of my July reads was "Into the Water" by Paula Hawkins which I really disliked.  This was one of two books I awarded just 2 stars this month. The main reason was that the story was very jumbled up due to the vast number of narrators involved.  Each chapter jumped from pillar to post so much so that I could barely keep up with who was who and what had happened to them.  There were very few characters who were realistic enough to be relatable.  I strongly disliked the narrators.  I also found the relationships very unnatural throughout.  None of it seemed very realistic at all.  The only reason I finished this was because I hate not finishing something I have started to read and because it was the book club book of the month.

On the opposite end of the spectrum was a 5 star read - "The Hate You Give" by Angie Thomas.  This deserves all the praise it can get.  This realistic portrayal of the neighbourhoods of American suburbs took the reader on a journey towards awareness of the treatment of black people by the authorities.  This is so relevant to our world today because there needs to be more awareness of the true experiences of black communities across the world.  The characters within this novel are so easy to connect with because they are so real.  The way the communicate, how they feel and what they think are so true to human nature that you forget that they are not real people.  With all of this being said I must admit that I shed tears, I worried about the characters, I laughed in places and generally became quickly and deeply emotionally invested in the story and the characters. This should be more widely read across the world to open people's eyes to the true experiences of the black community.


Part two of the haul will look at the next 5 reads I got round to in July.  Also an August TBR list coming soon!

Meg x

July Book Haul!

I thought that I had been bad for buying books last month but this month was so much worse!!  I'm going to keep the descriptions brief as I will include more detail in the reviews once I read each book!

1. "When Dimple Met Rishi"

This is all about an 18 year old Indian girl whose parents are determined she will have an arranged marriage to a boy named Rishi.  In a cunning effort to draw the two together Dimple's family agree to send her off to a programming camp she wants to go to - she is oblivious to the whole idea.  When she gets there Rishi introduces himself and the whole plan unfolds.  The whole story is about the journey they each go on discovering what they really want from life as well as the sacrifices they are willing to make to be happy.

2. "Caraval"
Caraval is about the Dragna sisters who have lived their life practically imprisoned by their father's cruelty and the control he has over them.  It has always been their dream to see Caraval - a travelling show - but they have never been allowed to go.  As the arranged marriage of the eldest sister draws closer it seems less likely that they will achieve their dream until they receive a letter from the organiser inviting both of them to go and see the show.  They are faced with the decision: to risk the wrath of their father if they are caught leaving or to wave their dream goodbye and stay where they are. 

3. "The Essex Serpent"
In Essex there has long been a legend of an evil, terrifying snake-like creature which emerges from the waters killing animals and humans alike.  For years the creature has been no more than a folk tale, a legend to scare children into behaving. Now the latest from Essex is that the creature is back.  No one knows why but the local Pastor is doing his best to keep the panic from setting in.  Teamed up with the recently widowed Cora he goes in search of the truth. Will the answers be forthcoming and should they turn to science or religion for help?

4. "Gilead"
This is the story of 3 generations of America starting with the Civil War and ending in the 20th century.  It is about spiritual battles undertaken by humanity and how they have developed over the years.  This looks at the appeal of leading an ordinary life and at the human condition as a whole. This is a novel I know very little about but have heard fantastic reviews over BookTube and a variety of blogs.


5. "The Selfish Gene"
So this one I have only really heard about and don't particularly know a lot about.  It's a non-fiction science book which looks into our genetic backgrounds.  It asks the reader to think about how our own genes build and make us into who we are. That's all I know really about this one!

6. "His Bloody Project"

Roderick Macrae is 17 years old when he is arrested for the brutal murder of 3 people in Ross-shire, Scotland.  It is written in as a presentation of docments such as police statements, witness testimonies etc. which offer contradictory views on the lead suspect.  Some argue he is a shy, quiet and gentle soul but others say he is menacing and evil.  The novel looks at whether Macrae was actually sane and what his motives for the murders actually were.  It is full of suspense right until the end.

7. "The Girls"
This is about 1960s North Caroline where a bout of violence is soon to turn the state into disarray.  Evie is drawn to a group of girls who she meets in the park. They seem carefree, have the freedom to dress how they like and a sense of danger that appeals a lot to Evie.  She is desperate to achieve acceptance by the leader - Suzanne.  Unbeknownst to her, Evie is falling into an infamous cult where she is drawn into a world of murder and violence.  Can she realise before it is too late?

8. "Wilde Like Me"
A story of a single mum who lives her life hiding her true feelings of loneliness.  She loves her child and her job but feels desperately lonely underneath it all.  She wants nothing more than to fit in with the mum crew at school but stuggles with this.  She has tried everything to find someone who she can share her life with but to no luck.  She decides it is time to change her life and seize the new opportunities thrown at her.


9. "Stay With Me"

This is a widely accredited novel which I can't wait to read! Yejide and Akin fell in love as teenagers and married young.  While polygamy is an accepted part of their culture, they agree it is not for them.  Yejide and Akin have been trying to get pregnant for 4 years with the help of fertility specialists, healers, medicine and holistic approaches.  They have not been successful.  Their family arrive with a new young wife for Akin which infuriates Yejide who realises it is now or never - get pregnant or lose her marriage.  She goes to great lengths to fall pregnant and save her fragile marriage.

10. "Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine"
Eleanor lives her life by a rigid timetable.  She does not like to deviate from her schedule at all. She avoids social situations at all costs preferring to spend her time with pizza and phone calls to her mum.  That is until she meets Raymond who changes her life - or tries to.  Together they rescue an older gentleman named Sammy.  The three become unlikely friends and all suffer isolation of some description. They work together to save each other from their isolation and break through the fear and constrictions they previously faced.

11. "As Old As Time"

This is a retelling of Beauty and the Beast.  It looks at Belle's mother and her family history.  Belle looks into the past when she touches the enchanted rose and sees unexpected connections between her and the Beast who has her held captive.  If what Belle sees in the past is true then it was her mother who was the Enchantress who cast the curse on the Beast and the castle inhabitants. Together the Beast must work with Belle to solve the mysteries of the past and work out the connections that have drawn them together.

12. "A Whole New World"
From the same series as "As Old As Time" this retells the story of "Aladdin" and looks at what would have happened if Jafar had summoned the genie from the lamp instead of Aladdin.  Jafar uses his first wishes to make him the ultimate sorcerer and sultan of Agrabah.  Agrabah lives in terror and fear of Jafar and it is up to Aladdin and the former Princess, Jasmine, to lead the citizens in a rebellion against Jafar to try to regain control over their kingdom.

Booktube-A-Thon and Bi-Annual Bibliothon TBR

Next week marks the start of the Youtube "Booktube-a-thon" and the "Bi-Annual Bibliothon" which means a busy reading week.  As I am on honeymoon I hope I will get a lot of reading done on the cruise. I am using a few books to cover 2 of the challenges as there are 14 challenges in all and there is no way I can read 14 books in one week!

Booktube-a-thon Challenges:

1. Read a book with a person on the cover - "When Dimple Met Rishi"
2. Read a hyped book - "The Power"
3. Finish a book in a day - "The Yellow Wallpaper"
4. Read a book with a character different to you - "When Dimple Met Rishi"
5. Finish a book outdoors - "The Yellow Wallpaper"
6. Read a book you bought because of the cover - "The Power"
7. Read 7 books.

Bi-Annual Bibliothon

1. Read the group book - "Flame in the Mist"
2. Read a book from one of the hosts categories - historical fiction - "The Essex Serpent"
3. Read a book that has been banned - "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone"
4. Read a book that is a throwback to a previous challenge - a book from childhood "Harry Potter"
5. Read a book that has been adapted to a movie - "My Cousin Rachel"
6. Read a book you saw somewhere other than booktube - "My Cousin Rachel"
7. Read an LGBTQIA+ Book - "History is All You Left Me"

If I get through all of these challenges I will be very pleased as that is A LOT OF READING. 

I am looking forward to stepping up to it and getting as much done as I possibly can though!

Meg x

The Handmaid's Tale: Review

We all have that list of books that we know we "should" have read before.  The ones that everyone goes on and on about or refer to in high brow literary conversations.  Especially when your job centres around reading and books and literature (now that I have thought of it I think this may be another blog post in the making!)."The Handmaid's Tale" by Margaret Atwood was one of those books for me that I had always wanted to read but just never really made the time for it. In June I started watching the TV series and loved the first episode so much that I knew I just had to read it.  I was delighted when the book club I am part of selected it as one of their reads and it did not disappoint.

This one of very few 5 star reviews I have left on Goodreads. Atwood skilfully built a society called Gilead which was created when a Christian group kills the American congress members and President and take over America in a bid to create a military run dictatorship.  The Handmaids are a group of women whose sole purpose is for recreation.  The society has faced a decline in fertility which is something that the new dictatorship believe has to be conquered.  The Handmaids are distributed to the ruling class families who use them in attempt to make them surrogate mothers for the family.  The story is told in the first person by the main character, Offred, a Handmaid who is assigned to her third family.

Firstly, the setting was dealt with in such a complete, encompassing amount of description throughout.  I felt so submerged and involved with the novel that when I stopped I had to remind myself that it wasn't really happening.  The society was not so far-fetched that it was unimaginable, instead it created an alternate realistic society with flawed characters, powerful themes and that creates a connection to the reader which is maintained all the way through.

Offred is all the more realistic for the flashbacks to the times she was happy with her family and to the start of the revolution.  Offred's past is a painful reminder of what things used to be like.  It is all the worse because she knows what she is missing.  Offred is inspired by a friend, Moira, who is a powerful woman on a mission to break out of the oppression she faces as a woman under the new regime.  The female characters we meet throughout the novel all have their own ways to try and break away from the rules of the regime.

Individuality, or the importance of individuality, is explored through the many ways that the woman are categorised and forced to leave behind their individuality and become a collective group of women without any sort of individual thought.  All of the Handmaids are identified by their distinct red dresses and white hats which block out their vision preventing them from seeing or being seen.  The educational centre run by the Aunts is a facility which teaches Handmaids how they should conduct themselves.  It is a harrowing experience for the Handmaids who are cruelly and severely
punished for the slightest wrong-doing.  At the centre they are taught to behave and conduct themselves in exactly the same way as every other Handmaid.

For me one of the most disturbing descriptions were of the "unbabies" or "shredders" which were the babies born with defects or physical disabilities.  There is no telling what actually happens to these babies but it is known that they are not kept.  The society does not use the modern facilities for testing pre-natal health in babies, it is forbidden to conduct health checks before birth.  The Handmaids live in fear of giving birth to an "unbaby" which is terrifying because it harks back to days gone by where we did not have the facilities that we do now to check the health of babies. I feel this is something that made me appreciate the health services available to us that we just take for granted at the moment.

This book really got under my skin. I felt like it was so real that I truly became immersed within the setting, characters and events.  This is a testament to the writing of Atwood as I usually find it difficult to engage with dystopian literature.  This is far and above my favourite dystopian novel that I have read to date.

Next up: Popular books that I have not yet read - TBR!

Meg x