Yes - thanks! This is where I read about the diversity question.
The original book was absolutely a white supremacist nation. I haven't actually watched the show yet but this particular article makes some good points about the benefits of the diverse cast in the TV version.
Post by Dumbledork on Apr 27, 2017 12:53:19 GMT -5
I'm watching it with DH. At the end of episode three where Serena Joy flings Offred into her room and starts screaming in her face, DH was baffled.
"It's not her fault! She didn't do anything wrong! The lady beat and tased her, maybe that why. Maybe the husband rapist has shitty swimmers. YOU DONT KNOW."
And then I pulled up quotes from shitty politician's that want men to sign off on a women's abortion.
This show is intriguing but scary at the same time. The whole time I was watching it and seeing the flash back scenes if how the fall happened, I could see it happening now.
I haven't read the book but will get it this weekend, just waiting for pay day. It took me until the second episode to realise her name was Offred, not Alfred.
There are so many moments I wanted to yell at my TV, and the scene of how they try to impregnate Offred was so gross and weird. Like, how could you watch your husband rape another person in front of you while you hold her arms down?
I'm very wary of the Commander, I think he has a different side that he's hiding. While it was interesting to see him play Scrabble with Offered, I just couldn't get all "aww, he might be different, he's treating her like a person".
And Rory, I can't believe what they did to her! It's female mutilation, isn't it??
Then the Commander's wife at the end of episode 3 punishing Offred, jeez.
I'm going to rewatch this weekend with my H. I feel like I'll catch some details I missed the first time.
Post by textbookcase on Apr 27, 2017 15:05:15 GMT -5
Man, so good. This is one of my favorite books ever and I did a re-read last week in anticipation of the show. I think they did a great job and I don't even mind some of the changes. I think it worked well to modernize it, it made it feel even more like something that could realistically happen in the not so far future. I think the acting is great, even Alexis Bledel and I don't normally think she's a great actress (she will always be Rory). Anyhow, I think they've done a great job and can't wait for more.
Fine, since spoilers abound. In the book I'm pretty sure ofglen committed suicide. There's an ongoing thread of misinformation campaign with what happens to the handmaids or Martha or really anyone.
Post by lyssbobiss, Command, B613 on May 1, 2017 11:37:30 GMT -5
I watched the first three episodes and I feel like it has already fucked me directly up. The scenes that really did me in were the birth (when I realized that all of the sterile women were downstairs while the one woman was pretending to be in labor while the handmaids were upstairs doing the actual work), and then when I saw what happened to Ofglen (WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO RORY GILMORE YOU MONSTERS???). Somehow I never had read the book, so I went out over the weekend and bought it (I'm sure tons of other people did too). I can't say I look forward to reading it, but I feel like it's important to read it.
"This prick is asking for someone here to bring him to task Somebody give me some dirt on this vacuous mass so we can at last unmask him I'll pull the trigger on it, someone load the gun and cock it While we were all watching, he got Washington in his pocket."
I'm not reading the posts to avoid any spoilers, but can someone tell me if this is available anywhere besides Hulu?
As someone else pointed out to me the other day when I asked this same question, you can get a 1 month free trial of Hulu. I went ahead and started now so I'll have to pay for ~2 months to watch the whole series, but in theory you could just wait until episode 7 comes out and binge watch the 1st 7, then catch the last 3 in the rest of your month.
I watched the first three episodes and I feel like it has already fucked me directly up. The scenes that really did me in were the birth (when I realized that all of the sterile women were downstairs while the one woman was pretending to be in labor while the handmaids were upstairs doing the actual work), and then when I saw what happened to Ofglen (WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO RORY GILMORE YOU MONSTERS???). Somehow I never had read the book, so I went out over the weekend and bought it (I'm sure tons of other people did too). I can't say I look forward to reading it, but I feel like it's important to read it.
At least for me, the book led me more into imo healthy rage against patriarchy and racism (the latter isn't a focal point of the show. Lots of discussion about that). But it's not heart wrenching the way the visual depiction is.
Maybe some of that is that the show is very much updated for today whereas the book was in the (early?) 80s, and I didn't read until maybe 15-20 years later.
I watched the first three episodes and I feel like it has already fucked me directly up. The scenes that really did me in were the birth (when I realized that all of the sterile women were downstairs while the one woman was pretending to be in labor while the handmaids were upstairs doing the actual work), and then when I saw what happened to Ofglen (WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO RORY GILMORE YOU MONSTERS???). Somehow I never had read the book, so I went out over the weekend and bought it (I'm sure tons of other people did too). I can't say I look forward to reading it, but I feel like it's important to read it.
It's definitely my favorite Margaret Atwood book, and I like her writing overall & have lots of her books. As far as too-close-to-the-truth dystopias go, I think it's an easier read than things like 1984, Brave New World, etc.
I'm not reading the posts to avoid any spoilers, but can someone tell me if this is available anywhere besides Hulu?
As someone else pointed out to me the other day when I asked this same question, you can get a 1 month free trial of Hulu. I went ahead and started now so I'll have to pay for ~2 months to watch the whole series, but in theory you could just wait until episode 7 comes out and binge watch the 1st 7, then catch the last 3 in the rest of your month.
FYI Amazon has it as a Prime book, so if you have a Prime membership with a Kindle you can get it for free as long as you like until you want to take out another Prime book.
I did get the e-book from the NYPL without too much of a wait, but had never read it before. Got completely caught up in it last night, and read it too quickly (especially the epilogue). I was looking at buying the e-book when I found it's on the Prime list. Returned NYPL's copy, and now can take my time. It's been a long time since I've read a book both that fascinating and uncomfortable.
I wasn't planning to re-read, but after watching the first 3 episodes and reading this thread, I realize there is a lot I have forgotten. Just dug out my copy tonight.
I read this in high school for AP English summer reading and liked it then. When it came out for free for Prime Kindle users, I jumped and just reread it while on vacation this past week. Anyway, I'm probably going to wait until all episodes are out on Hulu before joining so I can binge them.