On the unpopular opinion I actually liked this book ALOT. Especially listening to the audio book read by three different people. It was three different compelling storylines that came together. As someone that’s watched the entire series I came into the book with low expectations and this book did not disappoint me at all. I knew to an extent that Aunt Lydia was going to be a reformed character. It was also amazing knowing the history of the Aunts and Adua Hall. I was on the edge of my seat the entire time listening to the book!! 😅
I just finished this book and immediately came to RUclips looking for anybody that can agree with me on how I felt about this book. Your video is spot on exactly how I feel about it. I just hope if they continue the show with this book that they expand greatly on the premise. I was also really just sad with the fact that June had no voice in this book if it was a continuation of the series and inspired by the series.
I feel like the show and The Testaments are completely separate but that characters in the show heavily inspired characters in the book? Its so weird and a large part of why I don't like it haha happy to not like this book with you!
I just finished season 5 of the show and they were dragging out the rescue of Hannah so I went looking up the book and couldn’t understand who was talking and then figuring out Hannah never gets rescued and I wanted to flip tables
Agnes in the books (well the first book) was white because everyone was white in the first book. That was more common when the first book was written. The Television show was changed to reflect a more modern world, and more representation. By this logic in the second book, they would be whatever race they are in the TV series because times are different now than they were in the 80's when the first book was written.
Also, this comment comes from the audio book edition, which has both Atwood voicing the transitions, and the actress who voiced Aunt Lydia reading her characters parts. The women voicing Jade and Agnus sound very similar, their testimonies differ by a single letter, and for most of the book their timelines are years apart, which given how the book is paced, isn’t always clear. What a clumsy sequel to an amazing book.
I love Atwood. She's been a big part of my reading life. She's written some wonderful books (Cat's Eye, The Blind Assassin, Oryx and Crake etc, poetry, short stories). I have tremendous respect for her. And she does not need money, lol. But, The Testaments disappointed me. It's just not up to her usual standards. It happens. I think Jemisin's Broken Earth trilogy is genius. I love her Dreamblood duology. Then I read The City We Became. I could barely get through it. In my opinion, it is far inferior to those other works I mentioned. I'd go so far as to call it bad.
I think that this is an example of a sequel having the intent of drawing a different style of reader into the story and possibly compel them to read the first book. It's darker but less detailed about the darkness as it was experienced overall, just the specific actions and feelings of one who is not fully drinking the kool-aid.
I listened to the audiobook and yeah I agree. I was thinking about Nicole's whole character...hmm. Agnes suuure, but in the show Nicole (TV SHOW spoiler!!) she is living in Canada with her mom and dad (step dad?). So like how does the book fit in with that?? I listened bc I wanted more THT but the book and the show seem so far diverged??
Yea I think I would have preferred if the book was completely separate from the show or completely aligned with the show and its neither and its really jarring. Plus the change in writing style was unexpected.
I understand where your opinions come from, except the race thing. I mean, who cares what skin color the characters are? It’s ridiculous that we are still having conversations about the “relevance” of racial background.
-plot driven novel -this book didn't have to be written but i'm glad Margaret Atwood did. If you know a bit about her you would not "accuse" her of writing just for money. Her motivations are different, and that's not the important point in this book. - she expands the Gilead world by focusing on other characters, not handmaids. Aunts, wives...I though that was clever. - I think having all this expectations was bad... I agree with the ending being kinda surrealistic... the 2 sisters meeting (they feel like they're the same age to me which they're not) - Just the 1st season of the show is based on her book. I don't think she's inspired by the show, she just did her thing. - I don't like the redemption/showing the human side of Aunt Lydia (her parts where the ones I found more interesting in the book). But i usually don't like it in other books either, it takes the mystery and evilness away and it makes it boring. With President Snow in the hunger games for example, the prequel was a flop.
I will DEFINITELY not pick this series up. The continuity issue would get on my nerves and since you pointed it out, I'd definitely zero on in on that.
this book didn't have to be written but i'm glad Margaret Atwood did. If you know a bit about her you would not "accuse" her of writing just for money. Her motivations are different, and that's not the important point in this book.
I would say, as an author, that the characters had more to say and they tasked M.A. with putting it down on paper. Characters will torture you in your mind if you don't tell their story. Sometimes, even if you do. Lol!
I've just finished The Testaments & I really loved it. I've read The Handmaid's Tale (which was brilliant.) I have not yet seen the Elizabeth Moss TV version. I have heard that the TV show departs from the book significantly - which is part of why I have not been in a great hurry to see it. I will see it though. This review is entertaining though. The commentary of Aunt Lydia contains a great deal of hilarious ironic humour, & I could imagine Aunt Lydia describing the personality of this reviewer in her diary (if she were a pupil and classmate of Agnes & Becka). PMSL
The show was updated to take place in a more modern time and included diversity in race and sexuality that was not present in the books. It also expands on the creation of Gilead and more about some of the secondary characters. The main thing is that the book events are covered in Season 1. After that, it is all material original to the show. I haven't been too interested in reading the 2nd book. Maybe some day.
You missed the point about inclusivity. I’m brown, i dislike that the show ignored the racism of the SOJ and Gilead being based off racist, ablest and classist fundamentalist Christians. Not all are like that but in a fascistic regime that happens. You’re ignoring that key factor. It’s 100% believable that Gilead would do that. I think it opens a lot of white readers to racist colonialism and theocracy. Using religion to exert power and use Gods will as an excuse for racism and genocide. The book sucked lol but lbr, the show didn’t do that well at world building. The first book did though. I wish we explored Gilead more in the show and the writing and timeline is getting sloppy. If you like continuity then you’d point that out. That’s my biggest pet peeve with the show actually! But agreed about the boring book
Im pretty sure that there’s PURPOSEFULLY no diverse characters in the books. It’s much more realistic to believe that these Christo-fascists of Gillead, would also be YT supremacists. I think they even address the discarding of Black & Brown folk briefly in the first book. It makes MUCH more sense.
I wish i had found this review a few weeks ago. 😅 I have been reading it aloud to my husband after finishing the handmaids tale, expecting it to be a continuation of similar style and quality, and i feel like you do, this book, while not horrible in its own right, is not an appropriate sequel, in my opinion. I did not realize it was inspired by the show, as ive never watched it, but that makes sense. Thanks for the video! Glad im not alone in being disappointed. 💗
Sorry I couldn't save you from the disappointing experience earlier! But yea I found the change in writing style really jarring when I picked it up and did not have a good time.
“I haven’t heard of a tv series inspiring a book.” You used Game of Thrones as an example, forgetting that George R.R.Martin wrote at least two books inspired by the tv series.
I am so glad you did! Its not a bad book and just wasn't for me. Its honestly been almost a year now since I have read it and I am still more upset about the award system results than I am the actual content of the book.
I'm sorry, what? Kindred is written so well! But yeah, we've already talked about this some, but ughhhhh what a mess. Definitely don't want to read it.
Probably money lol and from what I have heard Margaret Atwood is a force in the literature fiction community, I just do not see that on display in this book at all
Ok, I'm really glad I decided to not read this after I read The Handmaid's Tale. I haven't seen the TV show, don't care to, but I felt like this book was unnecessary as soon it was announced.
Kalanadi that’s a very good word for it. I really gained nothing from reading it and was just constantly taken out of the story by continuity questions
The show is actually very good. I started watching it a couple of weeks before season 4 came out on Hulu and I got hooked so hard lol. You should give it a shot, you might really like it 😊
Excellent video. Thank you very much for that rant. You touched on many of my pet peeves, so we are on the same page. Hope you found many books that tickled your fancy after that one. Have a great day when you read this 😁 (I know, you said to put something red or something, but I'd rather smile). 😉
Thank you! Regarding the Booker award, I worry that they, and literature as a whole, appeals to popularity and politics. It’s a shame. At the end of the day, the person who wins the booker award should be the person whose exemplary work has earned the award. The end. It shouldn’t go to whoever’s work is popular in HBO etc. That said, I enjoyed how The Testaments book played with multiple unreliable narrators. I didn’t hate it.
That’s disappointing that how the book reads changed so much. :-/ I haven’t read The Handmaid’s Tale yet - I know it’s a great book and if interests me, but it’s a matter of if I think I can handle the material.
I think the show was a lot harder to watch in terms of the material compared to the book. Not that the book is easy but you really only get one perspective in the book and she sees a lot but not all the things we see in the show. But yea I was very sad that this book really felt like a waste of time to me :/
Also I agree! I was annoyed that Atwood didn't describe Agnes, so was she a woc (or child of color) like in the show or not? Because that was such a big part of the show imo for me. I love the show but the inclusivity made me love it more. The POC representation was so important, so the fact that it wasn't acknowledged at all in The Testaments?? Hmmm. Like how did she think her parents in Gilead were her parents if she were brown and they were white like in the show?? I mean I guess kids don't question stuff like that and kids don't always look exactly like their parents but 👀 she missed a big opportunity to comment on race in Gilead? Maybe in Gilead they just don't discuss race, color, or anything like that? I had so many questions! I agree aside from Aunt Lydia, it felt like a young adult scifi type of book :( and it seems like Aunt Lydia diverges from her show character so much! Will the show align with this difference?? Or will the book and show differ a lot?
Also I listened to the audiobook and the fact that Agnes' character was voiced by a white woman kinda made me feel like Agnes in the book wasn't mixed like in the show...It felt so rude to me.
I know this has been a year but in the book (HMT) it does describe why there was no POC and it was because they were only interested in white babies. So POC we’re relocated. So it’s very unlikely that Moira would have been a hand maid and while Gilead really wanted children I don’t think they would have taken Hannah for wife school because she was black herself. There’s a few articles about it on google too. ❤️
On the unpopular opinion I actually liked this book ALOT. Especially listening to the audio book read by three different people. It was three different compelling storylines that came together. As someone that’s watched the entire series I came into the book with low expectations and this book did not disappoint me at all. I knew to an extent that Aunt Lydia was going to be a reformed character. It was also amazing knowing the history of the Aunts and Adua Hall. I was on the edge of my seat the entire time listening to the book!! 😅
The ending to the first book is one of the craziest mind bending twists of all time. A sequel robs that power.
I just finished this book and immediately came to RUclips looking for anybody that can agree with me on how I felt about this book. Your video is spot on exactly how I feel about it. I just hope if they continue the show with this book that they expand greatly on the premise. I was also really just sad with the fact that June had no voice in this book if it was a continuation of the series and inspired by the series.
I feel like the show and The Testaments are completely separate but that characters in the show heavily inspired characters in the book? Its so weird and a large part of why I don't like it haha happy to not like this book with you!
I just finished season 5 of the show and they were dragging out the rescue of Hannah so I went looking up the book and couldn’t understand who was talking and then figuring out Hannah never gets rescued and I wanted to flip tables
Agnes in the books (well the first book) was white because everyone was white in the first book. That was more common when the first book was written. The Television show was changed to reflect a more modern world, and more representation. By this logic in the second book, they would be whatever race they are in the TV series because times are different now than they were in the 80's when the first book was written.
Girl, Woman, Other was ROBBED by not getting the award to itself. Also, I am with you on continuity errors
When I learned that I just got SOOO mad, like really??
Also, this comment comes from the audio book edition, which has both Atwood voicing the transitions, and the actress who voiced Aunt Lydia reading her characters parts. The women voicing Jade and Agnus sound very similar, their testimonies differ by a single letter, and for most of the book their timelines are years apart, which given how the book is paced, isn’t always clear. What a clumsy sequel to an amazing book.
I love Atwood. She's been a big part of my reading life. She's written some wonderful books (Cat's Eye, The Blind Assassin, Oryx and Crake etc, poetry, short stories). I have tremendous respect for her. And she does not need money, lol.
But, The Testaments disappointed me. It's just not up to her usual standards.
It happens. I think Jemisin's Broken Earth trilogy is genius. I love her Dreamblood duology. Then I read The City We Became. I could barely get through it. In my opinion, it is far inferior to those other works I mentioned. I'd go so far as to call it bad.
I think that this is an example of a sequel having the intent of drawing a different style of reader into the story and possibly compel them to read the first book. It's darker but less detailed about the darkness as it was experienced overall, just the specific actions and feelings of one who is not fully drinking the kool-aid.
I listened to the audiobook and yeah I agree. I was thinking about Nicole's whole character...hmm. Agnes suuure, but in the show Nicole (TV SHOW spoiler!!)
she is living in Canada with her mom and dad (step dad?). So like how does the book fit in with that?? I listened bc I wanted more THT but the book and the show seem so far diverged??
Yea I think I would have preferred if the book was completely separate from the show or completely aligned with the show and its neither and its really jarring. Plus the change in writing style was unexpected.
I understand where your opinions come from, except the race thing. I mean, who cares what skin color the characters are? It’s ridiculous that we are still having conversations about the “relevance” of racial background.
watching this today ..im screaming at how much has changed and how wrong. .it can be amazing
My favorite Harry Potter book is the half blood prince
-plot driven novel
-this book didn't have to be written but i'm glad Margaret Atwood did. If you know a bit about her you would not "accuse" her of writing just for money. Her motivations are different, and that's not the important point in this book.
- she expands the Gilead world by focusing on other characters, not handmaids. Aunts, wives...I though that was clever.
- I think having all this expectations was bad... I agree with the ending being kinda surrealistic... the 2 sisters meeting (they feel like they're the same age to me which they're not)
- Just the 1st season of the show is based on her book. I don't think she's inspired by the show, she just did her thing.
- I don't like the redemption/showing the human side of Aunt Lydia (her parts where the ones I found more interesting in the book). But i usually don't like it in other books either, it takes the mystery and evilness away and it makes it boring. With President Snow in the hunger games for example, the prequel was a flop.
LET THE RANT FLOW THROUGH YOU
I HAD THOUGHTS
Would this be spoilers to potentially how handmaids tale might end ?
I will DEFINITELY not pick this series up. The continuity issue would get on my nerves and since you pointed it out, I'd definitely zero on in on that.
Yea it would only exist if you watch the show but idk I just found this book so boring and it annoyed me a lot apparently 😆
I feel the book was a cash grab. 🤣
You and me both! And if you are going to make a cash grab, make it a good cash grab.
this book didn't have to be written but i'm glad Margaret Atwood did. If you know a bit about her you would not "accuse" her of writing just for money. Her motivations are different, and that's not the important point in this book.
I would agree with the “she who must not be named” thought! The subject material “grew up”. her writing style? *womp womp*.
I would say, as an author, that the characters had more to say and they tasked M.A. with putting it down on paper. Characters will torture you in your mind if you don't tell their story. Sometimes, even if you do. Lol!
I've just finished The Testaments & I really loved it. I've read The Handmaid's Tale (which was brilliant.) I have not yet seen the Elizabeth Moss TV version. I have heard that the TV show departs from the book significantly - which is part of why I have not been in a great hurry to see it. I will see it though. This review is entertaining though. The commentary of Aunt Lydia contains a great deal of hilarious ironic humour, & I could imagine Aunt Lydia describing the personality of this reviewer in her diary (if she were a pupil and classmate of Agnes & Becka). PMSL
The show was updated to take place in a more modern time and included diversity in race and sexuality that was not present in the books. It also expands on the creation of Gilead and more about some of the secondary characters. The main thing is that the book events are covered in Season 1. After that, it is all material original to the show. I haven't been too interested in reading the 2nd book. Maybe some day.
You missed the point about inclusivity. I’m brown, i dislike that the show ignored the racism of the SOJ and Gilead being based off racist, ablest and classist fundamentalist Christians. Not all are like that but in a fascistic regime that happens. You’re ignoring that key factor. It’s 100% believable that Gilead would do that. I think it opens a lot of white readers to racist colonialism and theocracy. Using religion to exert power and use Gods will as an excuse for racism and genocide. The book sucked lol but lbr, the show didn’t do that well at world building. The first book did though. I wish we explored Gilead more in the show and the writing and timeline is getting sloppy. If you like continuity then you’d point that out. That’s my biggest pet peeve with the show actually! But agreed about the boring book
Im pretty sure that there’s PURPOSEFULLY no diverse characters in the books. It’s much more realistic to believe that these Christo-fascists of Gillead, would also be YT supremacists. I think they even address the discarding of Black & Brown folk briefly in the first book. It makes MUCH more sense.
Can I send you my book! I write young adult Dystopian! I don't expect a review, just want to send to someone who enjoys reading my genre!
I wish i had found this review a few weeks ago. 😅
I have been reading it aloud to my husband after finishing the handmaids tale, expecting it to be a continuation of similar style and quality, and i feel like you do, this book, while not horrible in its own right, is not an appropriate sequel, in my opinion. I did not realize it was inspired by the show, as ive never watched it, but that makes sense.
Thanks for the video! Glad im not alone in being disappointed. 💗
Sorry I couldn't save you from the disappointing experience earlier! But yea I found the change in writing style really jarring when I picked it up and did not have a good time.
Booker* prize.
Tardé mucho en darme cuenta que eres de Venezuela (por la bandera de atrás) me encantó tu reseña, chama ❤️
WHY?! 😂😂 exaaaactly my thought when I read this. *coughdefinitemoneygrabcough* The ending was garbage, too 🥊🤷🏻♀️
Right like I could maybe forgive a lot of things if it was like, good...
Great review. Honestly it makes me want to read it even more just to appreciate just how bad it is.
Its really just such a mediocre cash grab... like it was easy to read but I was so mad and annoyed while reading it 😆
Yikes! I never got into the handmaid's tale. I hope this doesn't put you into a reading slump.
I'm good, been really enjoying what I am reading right now and honestly this was easy to read just really disappointing and uninspiring.
“I haven’t heard of a tv series inspiring a book.” You used Game of Thrones as an example, forgetting that George R.R.Martin wrote at least two books inspired by the tv series.
Wayward Pines! Book, series, book, more series, canceled series, nuther book, then graphic novels. Write but wonderful creative hippity hop.
I honestly loved it!
But you had great points!
I am so glad you did! Its not a bad book and just wasn't for me. Its honestly been almost a year now since I have read it and I am still more upset about the award system results than I am the actual content of the book.
hi...question how old is nicole in the book?
@@rose191991 its been a lo no time so the exact age isn’t fresh but I think she was a teenager
I doing something right now but I can't wait to get time to watch this review!! I love a good rant review!
Thank you! Amen!
I'm sorry, what? Kindred is written so well! But yeah, we've already talked about this some, but ughhhhh what a mess. Definitely don't want to read it.
Yea it was really not worth my time :/
Yikes. I never watched or read Handmaid's Tale but the way you talk about this book makes me angry too. WHY DID IT WIN A PRESTIGIOUS AWARD!?
Probably money lol and from what I have heard Margaret Atwood is a force in the literature fiction community, I just do not see that on display in this book at all
Ok, I'm really glad I decided to not read this after I read The Handmaid's Tale. I haven't seen the TV show, don't care to, but I felt like this book was unnecessary as soon it was announced.
Kalanadi that’s a very good word for it. I really gained nothing from reading it and was just constantly taken out of the story by continuity questions
The show is actually very good. I started watching it a couple of weeks before season 4 came out on Hulu and I got hooked so hard lol. You should give it a shot, you might really like it 😊
❣️
Blessed be the fruit
Lol... I know its probably not healthy but I do find a good rant review cathartic haha Glad you ended up doing this.
Just for you 😆
I expected an analysis 🧐
Sorry to disappoint lol
Excellent video. Thank you very much for that rant. You touched on many of my pet peeves, so we are on the same page. Hope you found many books that tickled your fancy after that one. Have a great day when you read this 😁 (I know, you said to put something red or something, but I'd rather smile). 😉
I accept all emojis, thanks for watching!!
I love that shirt!
Me too! My mom has the best taste 😆
Thank you!
Regarding the Booker award, I worry that they, and literature as a whole, appeals to popularity and politics. It’s a shame. At the end of the day, the person who wins the booker award should be the person whose exemplary work has earned the award. The end. It shouldn’t go to whoever’s work is popular in HBO etc.
That said, I enjoyed how The Testaments book played with multiple unreliable narrators. I didn’t hate it.
That’s disappointing that how the book reads changed so much. :-/ I haven’t read The Handmaid’s Tale yet - I know it’s a great book and if interests me, but it’s a matter of if I think I can handle the material.
I think the show was a lot harder to watch in terms of the material compared to the book. Not that the book is easy but you really only get one perspective in the book and she sees a lot but not all the things we see in the show. But yea I was very sad that this book really felt like a waste of time to me :/
Literature Science Alliance Okay, that’s good to know. If I read or watch The Handmaid’s Tale, I’ll start with the book.
yepppp. I haven't seen the show, but watching this was catharsis. I'm so glad someone hates this book as much as I do, haha.
I could not believe it won the award it did
Too much ranting
Also I agree! I was annoyed that Atwood didn't describe Agnes, so was she a woc (or child of color) like in the show or not? Because that was such a big part of the show imo for me. I love the show but the inclusivity made me love it more. The POC representation was so important, so the fact that it wasn't acknowledged at all in The Testaments?? Hmmm. Like how did she think her parents in Gilead were her parents if she were brown and they were white like in the show?? I mean I guess kids don't question stuff like that and kids don't always look exactly like their parents but 👀 she missed a big opportunity to comment on race in Gilead? Maybe in Gilead they just don't discuss race, color, or anything like that? I had so many questions! I agree aside from Aunt Lydia, it felt like a young adult scifi type of book :( and it seems like Aunt Lydia diverges from her show character so much! Will the show align with this difference?? Or will the book and show differ a lot?
Also I listened to the audiobook and the fact that Agnes' character was voiced by a white woman kinda made me feel like Agnes in the book wasn't mixed like in the show...It felt so rude to me.
I know this has been a year but in the book (HMT) it does describe why there was no POC and it was because they were only interested in white babies. So POC we’re relocated. So it’s very unlikely that Moira would have been a hand maid and while Gilead really wanted children I don’t think they would have taken Hannah for wife school because she was black herself. There’s a few articles about it on google too. ❤️