What reading level is the Handmaid's Tale?

What reading level is the Handmaid's Tale?

Set in the near future, America has become a puritanical theocracy and Offred tells her story as a Handmaid under the new social order....

ATOS Book Level:	5.4
Interest Level:	Upper Grades (UG 9-12)
AR Points:	14.0
Rating:
Word Count:	90240

Is The Handmaid's Tale difficult to read?

While The Handmaid's Tale isn't James Joyce's Ulysses, it's still a pretty complicated book. It's going to be tough for anyone squeamish about infertility or tricky narrative structures, and it asks readers to commit to a world all the more frightening because it resembles our own.

Why are the handmaids not allowed to read?

Reading and writing are entirely forbidden for women in The Handmaid's Tale as a means of tightening control over their lives, particularly in terms of their ability to communicate with others.

What is the punishment for reading in Handmaid's Tale?

As in many totalitarian societies, females in Gilead are forbidden from reading and writing—the punishment for a first offense is having one's hand cut off—which enables the authorities to more easily maintain control over them.

Who does Offred fall in love with?

Nick. Nick is a Guardian, a low-level officer of Gilead assigned to the Commander's home, where he works as a gardener and chauffeur. He and Offred have a sexual chemistry that they get to satisfy when Serena Joy orchestrates an encounter between them in an effort to get Offred pregnant.

Why can the aunts read and write?

Aunts are the highest class of women in Gilead and have extreme power and authority, which places them just below the Commanders. ... Aunts are allowed to read and write because their job deems them to carry out a number of tasks including administrative duties.

Is the handmaid's tale a good book to read?

• The story can be a bit depressing at times, but I believe it fits the themes and tone of the book. The Handmaid’s Tale is particularly important for women to read, especially in light of the current political climate and the #metoo movement.

What was most disturbing thing about Handmaids Tale?

• The most disturbing thing is that the scenario is entirely plausible. "I made sure that every horrific detail in the book had happened some time, somewhere, so I think of it as a cake in which I made the cake, but all of the raisins and chocolate chips are real." - Margaret Atwood

Is there going to be a season 4 of the Handmaids Tale?

• Fans of The Handmaid's Tale were disappointed to learn that the release of season 4 will be delayed due to the coronavirus pandemic. In the meantime, all three seasons are available to be rewatched on Hulu and Margaret Atwood's books The Handmaid's Tale and The Testaments are a must-read while preparing to dive back into this dystopian universe.

Is the handmaid's tale without plot holes?

• The Handmaid's Tale may be a brilliant show, but that doesn't mean it's totally without plot holes.