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The Handmaid's Tale


Twinky
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Based on the book by Margaret Atwood.  Anybody been watching this?  Set in the "not-too-distant future" (though the book was written in 1985) and portraying a fundamentalist "Christian" takeover of the USA. Everybody's afraid, everybody's spied upon.  Well acted and rather frightening.

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What does Mrs Wolf think?  Was she a Wayfer?  I'm sure Wayfers would have a very different take on it from non-cult viewers.

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15 hours ago, Twinky said:

What does Mrs Wolf think?  Was she a Wayfer?  I'm sure Wayfers would have a very different take on it from non-cult viewers.

No, I was not a Wayfer (Never-Been-Way). I'm sorry I can't give you an answer from that perspective.

I like the show a lot. I have not read the book, but I've seen the movie (1990, with Natasha Richardson) and found it interesting. So, when I saw the series starting, I decided to watch it.

I'm fascinated with dystopian-worlds' stories, so this is up my alley. And the series delves into the past-lives of all of the main characters, weaving the tale of how they got to be where they are, and more importantly, all the behind-the-scenes on how Gilead was formed.

I don't know how much more I can say without giving any spoilers. Nor do I know if that would be welcomed here.

I'll be finished watching the last episode of Season 1 in the next few days, so if at some point anyone is interested in talking about the show, please let me know.

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Hello, MaddyWolf.  Never a Wayfer - lucky lass, you. :biglaugh:

Just watched episode 6 (the Mexicans' visit).  Yes, interesting delve into past lives of the main characters.  I read the book decades ago and parts of it have "stuck" with me ever since.  I heard the author speaking on the radio recently about the film adaptation.  (She's a consultant or director or something on this latest version.)  Her thinking is interesting.  One of the things she said was that all the scenarios and incidents of women-abuse noted in the film have all happened, somewhere, at some time in the not too distant past.

It's well acted as a movie. Chilling, but quite believable, in its way.  Perhaps, even, not quite chilling enough?

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On 6/29/2017 at 8:19 PM, MaddyWolf said:

No, I was not a Wayfer (Never-Been-Way). I'm sorry I can't give you an answer from that perspective.

I like the show a lot. I have not read the book, but I've seen the movie (1990, with Natasha Richardson) and found it interesting. So, when I saw the series starting, I decided to watch it.

I'm fascinated with dystopian-worlds' stories, so this is up my alley. And the series delves into the past-lives of all of the main characters, weaving the tale of how they got to be where they are, and more importantly, all the behind-the-scenes on how Gilead was formed.

I don't know how much more I can say without giving any spoilers. Nor do I know if that would be welcomed here.

I'll be finished watching the last episode of Season 1 in the next few days, so if at some point anyone is interested in talking about the show, please let me know.

Maddy, aren't you the clever one!!  What really angers me about TWI, is how much evil was done in the name of God.  So many wonderful, kind, intelligent, people were used, and exploited, and then kicked out.  TWI presented itself as a Godly Christian Organization.  In reality, TWI wanted people's money, their cheap labor, and time.  Many of the women were raped, and many of the kids were physically abused.  If I had known how evil, VPW really was, I would never have gotten involved with TWI.  But, as bad as TWI was, it did open my eyes to the beauty of God.  I will always be grateful for that.

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So, Grace, have you read the book, or seen the current film series?  That's what this thread is about.  Waybashing is on the other thread.  Thanks.

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It's a good book, scary, sticks in the mind.  I'm going to see if I can't borrow it from the local library (yeah right, I have time to read books - not!) though at the present time there's probably a waiting list. Give it a go.

You might be able to pick up the TV series on some kind of CatchUp TV or other online service.  HULU is involved in its production and streams it in the US.

https://www.hulu.com/the-handmaids-tale

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3 hours ago, Twinky said:

It's a good book, scary, sticks in the mind.  I'm going to see if I can't borrow it from the local library (yeah right, I have time to read books - not!) though at the present time there's probably a waiting list. Give it a go.

You might be able to pick up the TV series on some kind of CatchUp TV or other online service.  HULU is involved in its production and streams it in the US.

https://www.hulu.com/the-handmaids-tale

Twinky, perhaps a DC library will have a copy of it.

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On 7/7/2017 at 8:49 PM, Twinky said:

Chilling, but quite believable, in its way.  Perhaps, even, not quite chilling enough?

I'd like to discuss the series but almost anything I post will end up being a big spoiler of one thing of another. Let me know when you finish the first season and we can post all kinds of spoilers.

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  • 2 weeks later...

One more to go!  Last episode was The Bridge (Janine with her baby on the bridge) (among other things).  Looking forward to Sunday (last episode).

Got the book on order from the local library: time for a re-read.  Of course, finding time to actually read the book is entirely another matter.

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21 minutes ago, Twinky said:

One more to go!  Last episode was The Bridge (Janine with her baby on the bridge) (among other things).  Looking forward to Sunday (last episode).

Got the book on order from the local library: time for a re-read.  Of course, finding time to actually read the book is entirely another matter.

Twinky, nuts!!  I was at a library today, and wanted to put that book on order, and forgot to do it.  Nuts!!  Well, the next time I go, I'll place it on order.  It sounds like a really good book, but if I get Nightmares from it, I'm going to kick someone's.....

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You won't get nightmares, Grace, but the book will probably stick in your memory.  The author says that all of the scenarios have happened or are happening to women.  Be thankful  for the choices and freedoms you have; be empathetic towards, and if possible, help, those who have less freedom, now.

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5 hours ago, Twinky said:

You won't get nightmares, Grace, but the book will probably stick in your memory.  The author says that all of the scenarios have happened or are happening to women.  Be thankful  for the choices and freedoms you have; be empathetic towards, and if possible, help, those who have less freedom, now.

Twinky, sounds like a winner!

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  • 2 months later...

Just picked up the book from the local library.  I'd reserved it some months ago.  Read the foreword by the author and she points to where she found her inspirations and precedents to the behaviour described in the book.   The author, Margaret Atwood, herself not only advised on the film, she had a bit part - she found that very unsettling.

Looking forward to getting into it.    Read it in the 80s when it was written; so much of it has stayed in my memory, unlocked by the film.  Film is now being repeated on TV (internet) so it'll be interesting to re-watch that after reading the book.

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