【英語で読書感想文】The Testaments by Margaret Atwood マーガレット・アトウッド『誓願』

Title: The Testaments
Author: Margaret Atwood

Probably most of us had never expected that “The Handmaid’s Tale” would appear on the best-selling list of 2017 (it’s good and bad for a few reasons). I used to recommend this dystopian masterpiece to my friends whenever I had a chance, and the other day, one of them let me know about the publication of the sequel in Japan. I think I had no choice but to read it and see if it’s worth recommending again.

“The Testaments” is set 15 years after the first book. It has three narrators; Aunt Lydia who also appeared as a villain in the original story, Agnes who grew up in Gilead, and Daisy who is a teenager living in Canada. Through these women’s eyes, we can get to know more about Gilead: its hierarchy system, closed society among Gilead’s women, and how this country was established and corrupted.

I especially read Aunt Lydia’s narrative with interest. It portrays how the liberal-leaning judge turned into an elite of the horrific government and how she slowly implemented her true will. On the other hand, as the pages turned, I realized that I loved the original story because it was narrated by only one character, Offred. We could not get the full picture of Gilead from her limited view, so we only could guess, assume, and feel it from very little information. It became clear to me that the story-telling style made the first novel more impressive and unforgettable. The author gives us answers to some questions from “The Handmaid’s Tale”, although I wasn’t sure if I really, really wanted those answers in the end.

All in all, “The Testaments” was such an entertaining read. I enjoyed that the three narratives gradually becoming one story. Atwood’s writing is fierce and witty. It is worth recommending but before doing so, maybe I would ask: Are you a big fan of the first book? Do you really want to dig into the world of a classic novel which is already perfect?

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前作が大傑作すぎたため、続編は本当に必要だったのだろうかっていう気持ちは残るものの、一つの作品としては面白かったです。

元の投稿はコチラ↓です。

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