Review: The Testaments

Having just finished The Testaments, I found the experience somewhat underwhelming. While it’s undeniably interesting to return to the world of Gilead, the novel takes a long time to gather momentum, and even once it does, it never quite reaches the depth or impact of The Handmaid’s Tale. The pacing feels uneven, and the early chapters in particular struggle to establish the same tension and atmosphere that made the original so compelling.

One thing the book does make clear, however, is just how much of the long-running TV series diverges from Atwood’s story. Many of the show’s plotlines, characters, and dramatic turns are inventions of the series rather than adaptations from the books.

Where The Testaments is good is in its resolution. Compared to the open ended and enigmatic conclusion of The TV series, this sequel ties up far more threads and provides a more definitive ending. It offers closure without feeling overly neat, and its final chapters are among the strongest in the novel.

Overall, while The Testaments offers some satisfying insights into the fall of Gilead and includes a well executed ending, it doesn’t quite live up to its predecessor. It’s a worthwhile read for fans of the world Atwood created, but it may leave some, like me, feeling that the journey to get there didn’t fully deliver on its promise.

Margaret Atwood
ISBN-13: 978-1784708214

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