‘The Handmaid’s Tale’: Everything You Need To Know About The Show, The Book, And The Controversies

Move over Twilight! Your time has passed, Harry Potter! Kiss off, The Da Vinci Code! The biggest book of the moment is The Handmaid’s Tale. The dystopian masterpiece is flying off of bookshelves and started topping both Amazon’s and The New York Times’ Best Sellers Lists this spring. As of last Monday, there were 546 holds on 96 copies of the book in the New York Public Library’s circulation.

So what gives? Why is a 31-year-old book suddenly so popular? Why is it hated? And how much of this is just hype for the upcoming Hulu series? We’ve got a rundown of everything you need to know about The Handmaid’s Tale.

What is The Handmaid’s Tale?

The Handmaid’s Tale is a 1985 novel by Canadian author Margaret Atwood. It takes place in a dystopian future where the United States has been devastated by climate change, infertility, and civil war. A new nation, called Gilead, has risen and restructured society according to a fundamentalist religious order, ruled by faith and fear. The few women left capable of conception are called “Handmaids”; They are slaves to the households of the ruling men and their barren wives. The novel is told from the point of view of one of these Handmaids, a woman who calls herself “Offred.��� Offred secretly dreams of rebelling against the system and finding her long-lost daughter, who was stolen from her when Gilead took over. The book is considered, along with 1984 and Brave New World, as one of the great dystopian novels of the 20th century.

Why is it suddenly so popular?

Well, one reason is Hulu has a new television adaptation of the series coming out. It’s really good and really flashy and features an amazing performance from Elisabeth Moss.

The other reason is, well, some people think the show hits on the mood of the country right now. Since the book and the show are concerned with the politics and morals surrounding women’s reproductive rights, many liberals adopted it as a cautionary tale and a source of catharsis after President Trump’s inauguration. In the book, Gilead is able to launch their takeover by stoking fears of Islamic terrorism and stripping certain classes of people (namely women, homosexuals, and people of color) of their rights.

Like, seriously, people think this book is about right now?

Yes. In fact, when the trailer for the Hulu adaptation hit, some Trump supporters posted in the YouTube comments section that they thought it was an anti-Trump show. It’s a story that gets a lot of people riled up. In fact, it’s one of the most “challenged” books of the last few decades.

What does that mean?

It means that it’s one of the most “banned” books in American high schools. Once it became a mainstay in English curriculums, the backlash began. Over the years, parents have challenged the book’s merit based on profanity, violence, explicit references to sex, and references to suicide. It’s also been banned for being “anti-Christian.”

Is it anti-Christian?

Well, it’s anti-fundamentalist Christian. The religious group that took down the United States government and formed Gilead identifies as fundamentalist Christian, but most of their teachings seem more Old Testament than New. And there’s no acceptance of other Christian sects. (I personally read it as anti-fundamentalism of any religious order, but that’s my interpretation.)

It seems like people can project a lot onto this story.

They can do that, yes.

So why are people projecting so much onto the story if it’s purely speculative fiction?

That’s the magic of Margaret Atwood’s writing. She actually drew upon the past for inspiration. So every single atrocity that Gilead inflicts upon its people is something that can be sourced from history. Anything that’s happened before can believably happen again. That includes whimples being “cool.”

Let’s shift gears. What’s the deal with the show?

The new Hulu series, The Handmaid’s Tale, debuts on the streaming site this Wednesday, April 26th. It was created by Bruce Miller and it’s directed by Reed Morano. The series was originally pitched as a mini-series, but based on Miller’s comments at Winter TCA, it sounds like Hulu may want to extend its run to a second season. Elisabeth Moss stars as Offred.

Offred’s a weird name.

Yeah, it’s not a real name. It’s her “Handmaid’s name.” It’s means she’s “Of-Fred.” She belongs to Fred.

Who’s…Fred?

Joseph Fiennes stars as the Commander, whose first name is Fred. Yvonne Strahovski plays his barren wife, Serena Joy. Max Minghella is the Commander’s hot driver, Nick. (Yeah! I called him hot! It’s a plot point!) Alexis Bledel is another Handmaid called Ofglen. Ann Dowd is Aunt Lydia, whose job it is to instruct and guide Handmaids (which also means she’s kind of a scary nun lady). Samira Wiley rounds out the main cast as Moira, Offred’s rebellious best friend.

How close is the show to the book?

That’s an interesting question. On the one hand, Hulu’s The Handmaid’s Tale does a brilliant job of bringing Margaret Atwood’s world to life. The details of the universe are spot on and Reed Morano’s directorial style evokes the nuance of Atwood’s authorial tone. Atwood is a writer who lures you into her heroine’s psyche. She uses precise words to fill in the color and shadow of Gilead. Morano favors close ups and shots that bring us straight into Offred’s point of view and her penchant for saturated color lends a poetry to the series.

However, it’s clear from just the first few episodes that the show is shooting to be a much more expansive story than what’s in Atwood’s slim novel. The series breezes through the events of the novel, picking and choosing which striking episodes to dole out first. Moss’s Offred even gets a lot more backstory — and whole lot more attitude. Atwood’s book is about life under the thumb of an authoritarian regime; Hulu’s show is about what it takes to foment a rebellion from within.

So I should watch it?

Well, ahem, my formal review is coming out Tuesday, and I — adjusts monocle — wouldn’t want to spoil its splendor, but yeah, you should watch it.

What about the book? Should I read the book?

Totally! Reading is great! And Atwood’s book is really a modern masterpiece. I’ll leave it up to you if you want to read the book or watch the show first.

Well, how am I supposed to read the book if it’s on hold at the library? (And sold out of stores?)

If you have a Kindle Unlimited account, you can read it for free?

Stream The Handmaid's Tale on Hulu on April 26, 2017