The end of women's rights

You've probably heard of this book because of the wildly popular, Emmy-award-winning, Hulu show The Handmaid's Tale. Well before it was on our screens it was on our shelves, penned by Margaret Atwood.

It tells the story of a repressive patriarchy, The Republic of Gilead, which overthrows parts of what used to be the USA. Offred, the main character, is a handmaid. Basically what the handmaids do is sleep with prominent government officials in order to bear children and keep civilization going. For some reason, people are going sterile? Either way, the government is obsessed with procreation and they've created a world where having children is pretty much the only thing that gives a woman value.

This book is right along in there with 1984, Fahrenheit 451, and Brave New World; a dystopian universe where the main character serves as an unreliable narrator because they have been brainwashed by whatever oppressive government regime is in place.

The book didn't explain too much of why or what was happening. I personally went into this book with some seriously high expectations and was disappointed. For the most part, I found it really boring. The main character didn't do much more than sit around, be oppressed, and think. It was kind of like if 1984 and The Bell Jar had a book baby.

While I can't say I hated it, I definitely wanted more excitement, a more Hunger Games aspect to the story. I wanted Offred to be a part of some sort of secret resistance instead of just complacent in her position as a handmaid.

In terms of women's rights, the story really made me think about how quickly something that seems inherent, like control over your own body, can be taken away by someone else. It was terrifying in the book how undisturbed the men were when women's rights were discreetly, but swiftly, taken away. It was also sad to see how women were willing to throw each under the bus for better positions in the new life.

No matter the current circumstances, we need to speak up about the things we believe are right and refuse to be silenced.