I HAVE A LOT OF QUESTIONS ABOUT MARGARET ATWOOD’S THE TESTAMENTS
When I heard author Margaret Atwood was writing a sequel to her 1985 novel, The Handmaid’s Tale, my first question was: when do I get to read it? The answer to that one is easy: Tue., Sep. 10, when The Testaments is released. And no, I don’t get a sneaky advance media copy since the book is being kept totally under wraps until it hits stores, both physical and digital.
But I have many other questions associated with this highly anticipated release. Just like the first season of the current TV adaptation, the original novel left off with Offred (played in the show by Elisabeth Moss) climbing into the back of a van, heading off to an uncertain fate. Will we finally find out what happened to the book version of the Handmaid, and how will it differ from what we’ve seen play out in the show’s second and third seasons, on which Atwood has been a consulting producer?
That leads to more questions – will the books and the TV show diverge completely, operating in two different worlds? Or will there be some crossover of plot and character? My assumption that Atwood won’t just rehash the storyline from the show and put it in book form seems supported by the publisher’s official blurb, which states: “Margaret Atwood’s sequel
picks up the story more than 15 years after Offred stepped into the unknown, with the explosive testaments of three female narrators from Gilead.”
Vague, right? That means one thing: more questions. If we are skipping ahead 15 years, it’s a possibility that The Testaments will focus on completely new characters and situations than the ones in either the first book or the TV series, right? And if that’s the case, will it provide resolution for the events and players from the first novel (including the question of whether June is even the real name of Book Offred – something Atwood never explicitly stated)?
The success of the show obviously creates an entirely different situation for Atwood than in 1985 when The Handmaid’s Tale was released. Not just her own creation anymore, Gilead and its inhabitants have been recreated in vivid detail on screen, and it’s possible there will be inconsistencies between the series and The Testaments. It’s a situation also facing Game of Thrones author George RR Martin now that show is complete – he likely doesn’t want to just write the same ending for his books.
Atwood herself has said, “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.” It’s a good sign the author is conscious there are questions that need addressing, but in doing so can she possibly recapture the brilliance of The Handmaid’s Tale? That’s always the risk when sequels are involved, but I have every faith The Testaments won’t disappoint. •