The Handmaid's Tale
I've finished reading "The Handmaid's Tale" by Margaret Atwood per recommendation of luna_puella.
Usually, I start off by saying whether or not I enjoyed the book. However, that's a bit tricky in this case.
Any story focusing on what happens if a group of hardcore Christian Americans would impose its puritans ideas on society, thus dialing the clock waaaaaay back on any feministic accomplishments, immediately isn't exactly a cheerful enjoyable read.
Sometimes the book was so depressing I could only stand to read two or three pages at a time. Then I'd have to put it away, stare out of the train window for ten minutes, and continue reading.
Yet I never had any trouble to continue reading. I always wanted to finish the story, always wanted to go on. Just at a slower pace than usual.
I suppose what helps is the overall thought process of the female main character. She clearly ain't happy with the situation (having almost all your freedoms being taken away can do that to a person), yet she makes the best of it. She isn't just sitting in a corner lamenting and wishing she was dead. She survives however she can, she holds on to hope even when she knows it's false and she takes extra enjoyment out of the little things that can still make her feel better for a bit. In order words: she makes her situation bearable. And because of that, it was also bearable for me to read.
I haven't given away too many details of the story, because I don't want to. The world has changed and the book slowly unfolds how such a thing has happened. That's part of the experience.
Apart from it's general message, there was another thing this book made me realise. Whenever I get story ideas, they tend to be Big Epic Drama and, yes, the world usually needs saving. For the simple reason that Big Epicness feels Grande and extra engrossing. Yet, that's not me.
World needing saving tends to come with an utterly depressing situation for the main character (after all, True Art is Angsty) and that just isn't what I want to write. This book took enough effort to get through, as awesomely written as it is. If I'd actually have to convincingly write about such a depressing situation myself.... I just couldn't.
I'm a happy, cheerful person. Perhaps whatever I write should reflect that.
Usually, I start off by saying whether or not I enjoyed the book. However, that's a bit tricky in this case.
Any story focusing on what happens if a group of hardcore Christian Americans would impose its puritans ideas on society, thus dialing the clock waaaaaay back on any feministic accomplishments, immediately isn't exactly a cheerful enjoyable read.
Sometimes the book was so depressing I could only stand to read two or three pages at a time. Then I'd have to put it away, stare out of the train window for ten minutes, and continue reading.
Yet I never had any trouble to continue reading. I always wanted to finish the story, always wanted to go on. Just at a slower pace than usual.
I suppose what helps is the overall thought process of the female main character. She clearly ain't happy with the situation (having almost all your freedoms being taken away can do that to a person), yet she makes the best of it. She isn't just sitting in a corner lamenting and wishing she was dead. She survives however she can, she holds on to hope even when she knows it's false and she takes extra enjoyment out of the little things that can still make her feel better for a bit. In order words: she makes her situation bearable. And because of that, it was also bearable for me to read.
I haven't given away too many details of the story, because I don't want to. The world has changed and the book slowly unfolds how such a thing has happened. That's part of the experience.
Apart from it's general message, there was another thing this book made me realise. Whenever I get story ideas, they tend to be Big Epic Drama and, yes, the world usually needs saving. For the simple reason that Big Epicness feels Grande and extra engrossing. Yet, that's not me.
World needing saving tends to come with an utterly depressing situation for the main character (after all, True Art is Angsty) and that just isn't what I want to write. This book took enough effort to get through, as awesomely written as it is. If I'd actually have to convincingly write about such a depressing situation myself.... I just couldn't.
I'm a happy, cheerful person. Perhaps whatever I write should reflect that.