The Testaments by Margaret Atwood
The theocratic government of the Republic of Gilead still holds onto power more than fifteen years after the events of The Handmaid’s Tale, but there are indications that it is starting to decay from within. Three very different women’s lives come together at this pivotal time, maybe with explosive outcomes. As members of the first generation to reach adulthood under the new regime, two have grown up. Aunt Lydia adds her testimony to that of these two young women. Her complicated past and hazy future play out in unexpected and crucial ways.
With The Testaments, Margaret Atwood exposes the inner workings of Gilead, forcing each woman to confront her identity and determine how far she will go.
The Testaments by Margaret Atwood
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The Testaments, which was first published in 2019, is a brutal follow-up to The Handmaid’s Tale. In order to expose the corruption and horrible nature of the Land of Gilead, Margaret Atwood continues her journey there. This book is a real-life illustration of how egotistical leaders can create a route to their own demise. It almost seems as though the author foresaw what is taking place with the current crop of world leaders and wrote her sequel as a warning for the future.
The well-written adventure story “The Testaments” introduces us to its three narrators: Agnes, a young woman who has only ever known the Gilead regime; Daisy/Jade, a Canadian teen who is unaware of her connection to Gilead and its people and who therefore spends much of her time vocalizing her hatred of the country; and lastly, the titular Aunt Lydia. In “The Testaments,” Aunt Lydia emerges in ways that only fans of the original novel could have anticipated. She was only briefly mentioned in “The Handmaid’s Tale,” but she nevertheless managed to make her presence known. Well, nearly…
I liked “The Testaments” a lot overall, especially Aunt Lydia’s story. Here is a woman who was raised in a society before Gilead but who is fully aware of her contribution to maintaining the status quo. She may not have the same opinions as its leaders on everything or even just a few things, but she is far too astute to let that stand in the way of her own self-serving actions. She is a fascinating character that exhibits varying degrees of tenderness, empathy, severe violence, and ruthlessness. Her actions are both challenging to comprehend yet wholly reasonable given the environment in which she lives. In fact, Aunt Lydia is such a riveting character that I would have been content if the entire book had been her story.
