The Handmaid’s tale is a modern classic. I last read it over 20 years ago and have not yet seen the TV series.
Offred is a handmaid whose sole purpose is to procreate with her commander. She is resented at all levels of society whilst also resenting her situation. She dreams of freedom but is she brave enough to face death…?
It is basically sexual slavery enforced by the state. I think the scariest thing is how realistic the plot seems. Women today are still objectified and treated as inferior to men despite years of so called equality. Women’s bodies are subject to patriarchal power and men’s control so it isn’t too far a stretch of the imagination to see Gilead could exist. There is also the danger from other women who are trying to survive in equally horrendous circumstances.
Children are a precious commodity in Gilead and women are judged by their ability to conceive. There is little love as wives are for social standing and have to endure the coupling with a handmaiden. Most men are also restricted in their relationships and I did feel sympathy for them too at various points during the book.
The Testaments is a book that I haven’t read before. There are three different women’s voices which show the background to Gilead as well as moving the story forward. This added a depth and understanding to events in both books.
Personally, I feel uncomfortable about religion being used to justify social control as I feel faith is individual. Yet it is clear that the real states today use power to control women’s bodies through access to contraception and abortion, attitudes to rape which blame the victim, toxic masculinity with associated homophobia and transphobia.
There is brutal violence and mob justice as the state uses ideology to control the inhabitants. Fear of The Other, non conformists, anything that undermines the system is used to control the majority. Again it doesn’t feel too far from possibility đ
The Testaments feels a lot more personal than The Handmaid’s Tale as a result of the different voices and viewpoints. Aunt Lydia in particular shines as a three dimensional character trying to survive and thrive in the new order.
I find it difficult to enjoy either book due to the subjugation of women, although they are both compelling, gripping and vividly written. A chilling fantasy that is terrifyingly possible. A must-read for all.
Book blurbs:
The Handmaid’s Tale
Offred is a Handmaid in the Republic of Gilead. She may leave the home of the Commander and his wife once a day to walk to food markets whose signs are now pictures instead of words because women are no longer allowed to read. She must lie on her back once a month and pray that the Commander makes her pregnant, because in an age of declining births, Offred and the other Handmaids are valued only if their ovaries are viable. Offred can remember the years before, when she lived and made love with her husband, Luke; when she played with and protected her daughter; when she had a job, money of her own, and access to knowledge. But all of that is gone nowâŚ
Funny, unexpected, horrifying, and altogether convincing, The Handmaid’s Tale is at once scathing satire, dire warning, and tour de force.
The Testaments
Margaret Atwood’s sequel picks up the story more than fifteen years after Offred stepped into the unknown, with the explosive testaments of three female narrators from Gilead.
In this brilliant sequel to The Handmaid’s Tale, acclaimed author Margaret Atwood answers the questions that have tantalized readers for decades.
“Dear Readers: Everything you’ve ever asked me about Gilead and its inner workings is the inspiration for this book. Well, almost everything! The other inspiration is the world we’ve been living in.” –Margaret Atwood
A teenager is shot dead in a gas station and another woman abducted. An investigation reveals that Katherine received anonymous threatening letters but who and why…?
Missing Before Daylight is the 10th book in the Detective Amanda Steele series. There are references to personal plotlines that have evolved over the series, but no spoilers about earlier crimes and culprits.
The book begins with the heartbreaking murder of a young woman. There is no apparent motive but Amanda Steele sees her former colleague Katherine being abducted by the killer when she watches the CCTV. Kat has been involved in solving many crimes and has made a lot of enemies so Amanda needs to discover who wanted revenge.
The book is written in the third person to show us the perspectives of the detectives, the victims and the perpetrators. The chapters are quite short so the pace of the plot rattles along speedily. Both of these features build the tension as we hope for Amanda and her team to find the truth as soon as possible.
The romantic tension between Amanda and Trent continues to shimmer almost uncomfortably. They are both in other relationships but cannot help the way that they feel about each other, even if they cannot fully admit it to themselves.
Missing Before Daylight is an entertaining crime thriller and police procedural.
MEDIA PACK
Book: MISSING BEFORE DAYLIGHT
Author: Carolyn ArnoldÂ
Pub Day: FEB 22ND 2024Â
Buy Link(s):
About the Book:Â
She wakes surrounded by an inky black darkness and can barely breathe. A sack is covering her head, and her hands are tied behind her back. She desperately tries to struggle free as she hears footsteps walking toward her. She silently starts to cry as a chilling voice whispers âItâs time to pay for what you didâŚâ
When Detective Amanda Steele is called to the murder scene of a young gas station clerk just before dawn, she assumes it must be a robbery gone tragically wrong. But when she discovers nothing has been stolen, she knows the motive must be far more personal.
Watching the security footage, Amanda is shocked to witness the cold-blooded killer not only shoot the clerk dead but abduct a customer. And her heart stops when she recognizes the customer as her former colleague, Katherine Graves. As Amanda breaks the news to Katherineâs heartbroken Aunt May, she vows to do whatever it takes to bring her niece home alive.
Desperate for a lead, Amanda and her partner, Trent, search Katherineâs home. Soon, they discover that despite no longer being with the police department, Katherine has a long list of very dangerous enemies. Enemies who have been sending her anonymous letters promising revenge.
The more Amanda digs into Katherineâs past, the longer her list of suspects becomes. But when May is sent a ransom demand and a picture of Katherine close to death, Amanda knows time is running out. With only hours left to find Katherine alive, Amanda is prepared to risk everything to keep her promise to May, even her own lifeâŚ
A completely pulse-pounding and unputdownable crime thriller, perfect for fans of Angela Marsons, Robert Dugoni and Rachel Caine.
Author Bio
To keep current on author news, sign up for Carolyn Arnoldâs newsletter at http://dld.bz/jBtNt
CAROLYN ARNOLD is an international bestselling and award-winning author, as well as a speaker, teacher, and inspirational mentor. She has several continuing fiction series and has many published books. Her genre diversity offers her readers everything from cozy mysteries, police procedurals, and thrillers to action adventures. Her crime fiction series have been praised by those in law enforcement as being accurate and entertaining. This led to her adopting the trademark: POLICE PROCEDURALS RESPECTED BY LAW ENFORCEMENTâ˘.
Carolyn was born in a small town and enjoys spending time outdoors, but she also loves the lights of a big city. Grounded by her roots and lifted by her dreams, her overactive imagination insists that she tell her stories. Her intention is to touch the hearts of millions with her books, to entertain, inspire, and empower.
She currently lives near London, Ontario, Canada with her husband and two beagles.
Social Media
1916, London, Hannah is volunteering as a librarian at the hospital library but one morning she finds a patient has been shot dead. The man had been unpopular among the other soldiers, patients and medical staff but who wanted him dead? Then a nurse, who she thinks she is being followed, disappears…
Murder in the Library is the second book to feature Hannah and her aunt Violet. I have previously read and reviewed the first book Murder in the Bookshop. There are spoilers about characters, events and the culprit so I would advise reading the books in order.
Hannah has two mysteries to solve. First a shooting of a rather unpleasant man and then the disappearance of a nurse. Her sleuthing puts her at odds with the police and she also has a romantic tension which offers a different dimension to her personality. There are lots of threads for Hannah to unpick and follow towards the solution, with twists and red herrings thrown in to keep readers guessing.
Once again, it is aunt Violet that steals every scene she is in. However, both women are passionate and strong willed, surprisingly modern in outlook while their world changes around them during WW1. I enjoyed the historical setting and thought it had been researched well to support the plot and character development.
Murder in the Library is an enjoyable cosy historical murder mystery.
Murder in the Library
A body in a hospital isnât so unusual. Unless theyâve been murdered!
1916, London: Keen to support the war effort, bookshop manager and sometime amateur sleuth Hannah Merrill has taken a volunteer role in the library of the nearby military hospital. But arriving at the hospital one cold winterâs morning, she is horrified to find the body of a dead soldier in the library.
Whatâs more, a beautiful young nurse confides in Hannah that she thinks sheâs being followed, and then she abruptly disappears. Hannah canât shake the suspicion that the two cases are connected, but she canât solve the case alone. Sheâll once again need to call upon her delightful, demanding, only-occasionally devious aunt, Violet. The two women know they must find the missing nurse before itâs too late⌠but they donât realise theyâre now both in the killerâs sights.
Author Bio â
Anita Davison is the author of the successful Flora Maguire historical mystery series. Previously published by Aria, she is writing a new cosy mystery series for Boldwood, the first title of which, Murder in the Bookshop, will be published in August 2023.
Social Media Links â
Matt Mills dreams of being a stand up comedian but it is a tough business and he is only 12!
Matt Millz is a children’s book aimed at ages 9-12 but adults will love it too!
I wish I could bottle how happy this book made me. The stupid smile I had throughout, the laugh out loud lines, Harry Hill’s humour shines from the plot whilst his audio narration is superb.
Matt is a young man with big plans. He even has a stage name, changing his surname from Mills to Millz. His comedy routine has been honed to perfection but can he find the right audience? His school mates, an old people’s home, the big stage? I was desperate for Matt to succeed and fulfil his dreams but the odds seem stacked against him.
The scenarios are all very funny but they are underpinned by a strong emotional thread. The drive to entertain and be successful is so strong and I really cared for Matt. I think children will like the aspirational nature of the book and think of following their own dreams. The kid characters are easy to like and relate to, whilst the humours lifts the tone associated with the risks and failures they face.
There are lots of mentions of popular culture which younger children may struggle to understand but fans of X Factor and other reality shows should appreciate the references. Harry Hill’s quirky humour sparkles throughout and I just can’t understate how much I loved this book!
Book blurb:
Meet Matt Millz – Britain’s Youngest (and funniest!) Comedian! Matt may be small but he is truly mighty on the comedy circuit. Well, he is in his head anyway. When the school holds a talent show, Matt has the opportunity to demonstrate that he’s got the magical chutzpah quip to take him all the way to the Apollo. With the help of his diminutive manager, Kitty Hope, and his hapless form teacher, as well as the school brute, his heartthrob and Rob his best friend, Matt learns what it takes to be really funny . . . A hilarious new book from National TreasureT and real-life (very) funny man Harry Hill.
Flora and Jack are organising a book event in the village. But a first edition Dickens is stolen and the librarian is found dead. The main suspect is someone Flora used to know but his arrival in the village seems odd and he was discovered standing over the body…
The Library Murders is the 8th book to feature bookshop owner Flora and crime writer Jack in the 1950s.
Despite a wedding on the horizon, it still isn’t smooth sailing for our pair of sleuths. A face from Flora’s past stirs ups some jealousy. She is also given more information about her family history which is a plotline that follows from earlier books.
Flora faces a dilemma because she can’t believe that Lowell is a killer but his sudden appearance is definitely odd. There are other suspects and motives that revolve around money and the temptation of the valuable book. Of course, the title gives a clue! Then there is another murder which makes Flora and Jack rethink the evidence.
Being set in the 1950s, there is a range of historical social comments that add to the development of the characters and plot. I still feel frustrated with the delays to the relationship between Flora and Jack but they are also impatient to wed!
The Library Murders is an enjoyable cosy historical murder mystery.
Book Description:
Bookshop owner and amateur detective Flora Steele and her fiancĂŠ, crime writer Jack Carrington, discover words can kill as they solve their most puzzling case yetâŚ
Itâs a sunny morning in Abbeymead as Flora cycles through the village and knocks on the door of the local library, planning to deliver a gift to librarian Maud Frobisher to mark her retirement. But Flora is shocked when she finds Maud slumped in the corner, and even more startled when she recognises the man holding the murder weapon â an enormous hardback book.
Floraâs known Lowell Gracey since her college days, but what is he doing working for Maud and now the main suspect in her murder? Suspicion mounts when Flora and Jack discover that Lowell is heavily in debt, and that a priceless rare first edition has recently gone missing, but Lowell is adamant that heâs innocent, and Flora believes him.
The pair are once more drawn into an investigation, but who would kill a beloved librarian?Perhaps Rose Lawson, a mysterious newcomer to Abbeymead known to be in dire financial straits? Or pompous bestselling author Felix Wingrave, who rumours say would do anything to get his hands on a valuable book for his collection?
Then the village is rocked by the discovery of a second body. Flora and Jack realise a vital clue lies in the pages of a novel â but the plot is thickening and the killer is closing inâŚ
Flora and Jack are determined to solve this fiendish case by the book â but will this be the end of their story?
A completely page-turning and addictive cozy crime mystery. Fans of Agatha Christie, Faith Martin and Joy Ellis will adore this unputdownable series!
Author Bio:
Merryn taught university literature for many years, and it took a while to pluck up the courage to begin writing herself. Bringing the past to life is a passion and her historical fiction includes Regency romances, wartime sagas and timeslip novels, all of which have a mystery at their heart. As the books have grown darker, it was only a matter of time before she plunged into crime with a cosy crime series set in rural Sussex against the fascinating backdrop of the 1950s.
Merryn lives in a beautiful old town in Sussex with her husband. When sheâs not writing, she tries to keep fit with adult ballet classes and plenty of walking.
Buy Link:
You can sign up for all the best Bookouture deals you’ll love at:Â http://ow.ly/Fkiz30lnzdo
