--- product_id: 2204304 title: "The Handmaid's Tale: A Novel" brand: "margaret atwood" price: "SAR 63" currency: SAR in_stock: true reviews_count: 13 url: https://www.desertcart.com.sa/products/2204304-the-handmaids-tale-a-novel store_origin: SA region: Saudi Arabia --- # 4.3/5 from 174K+ readers #4 Political Fiction bestseller 300 pages of gripping dystopia The Handmaid's Tale: A Novel **Brand:** margaret atwood **Price:** SAR 63 **Availability:** ✅ In Stock ## Summary > 🔥 Unlock the dystopian classic that everyone’s talking about! ## Quick Answers - **What is this?** The Handmaid's Tale: A Novel by margaret atwood - **How much does it cost?** SAR 63 with free shipping - **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship - **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.com.sa](https://www.desertcart.com.sa/products/2204304-the-handmaids-tale-a-novel) ## Best For - margaret atwood enthusiasts ## Why This Product - Trusted margaret atwood brand quality - Free international shipping included - Worldwide delivery with tracking - 15-day hassle-free returns ## Key Features - • **Join a Global Conversation:** Over 174,000 reviews and counting—don’t miss out on the book shaping today’s cultural discourse. - • **Unmatched Cultural Relevance:** Ranked #4 in Political Fiction and #6 in Dystopian Fiction, this novel is a must-read for the socially conscious professional. - • **Powerful Female Protagonist Voice:** Offred’s raw, honest perspective offers a compelling roadmap through oppression and resilience. - • **Layered, Thought-Provoking Writing:** Each page unravels complex themes with poetic precision, challenging readers to confront uncomfortable truths. - • **A Masterclass in Dystopian Storytelling:** Margaret Atwood’s visionary narrative that resonates deeply with today’s socio-political climate. ## Overview The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood is a 300-page dystopian novel ranked among the top political and dystopian fiction books. Praised for its prescient themes and powerful female protagonist, it holds a 4.3-star rating from over 174,000 readers, making it an essential read for anyone interested in socio-political narratives and cultural relevance. ## Description #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • An instant classic and eerily prescient cultural phenomenon, from “the patron saint of feminist dystopian fiction” ( The New York Times ) • The sixth and final season of the award-winning Hulu series starring Elisabeth Moss is now streaming Look for The Testaments , the bestselling, award-winning sequel to The Handmaid’s Tale In Margaret Atwood’s dystopian future, environmental disasters and declining birthrates have led to a Second American Civil War. The result is the rise of the Republic of Gilead, a totalitarian regime that enforces rigid social roles and enslaves the few remaining fertile women. Offred is one of these, a Handmaid bound to produce children for one of Gilead’s commanders. Deprived of her husband, her child, her freedom, and even her own name, Offred clings to her memories and her will to survive. At once a scathing satire, an ominous warning, and a tour de force of narrative suspense, The Handmaid’s Tale is a modern classic. Includes an introduction by Margaret Atwood ## Technical Specifications | Specification | Value | |---------------|-------| | Book 1 Of 2 | The Handmaid's Tale | | Dimensions | 5.17 x 0.68 x 7.97 inches | | Edition | 1st Anchor Books | | Isbn 10 | 038549081X | | Isbn 13 | 978-0385490818 | | Item Weight | 2.31 pounds | | Language | English | | Print Length | 336 pages | | Publication Date | March 16, 1998 | | Publisher | Vintage | | Reading Age | 14 - 18 years | ## Images ![The Handmaid's Tale: A Novel - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/61su39k8NUL.jpg) ## Available Options This product comes in different **Format** options. ## Customer Reviews ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Perfect and prescient for these times. READ it. *by on Reviewed in the United States September 7, 2019* I will admit - Over the years, 'Handmaid' was one of those books everyone had told me just HAD to be read - but with the clear discomfort they'd show in saying that, I always thought - Nope; not for me. I'm just not one for the whole dystopian thing; I need to see some light at the end of the tunnel.Fast forward to last week - this book being required for my daughter's Eng Lit class, and sitting available while I was at loose ends in a Starbucks for several hours - I thought, Why not?... and how glad I am, that I had those few hours. Wow. I was gone, hook line and sinker, from the first page on.Handmaid is set in, yes, a dystopian future in which women's place in the world has been subverted, through various events which resonate awfully closely with current times. The story picks up at the moment when Offred (a concatenation of her "owner's" name and her position in this society) is assigned to a new home in a city in America, for reasons that become all too clear within a few short pages. Her experiences within this new environment, interwoven with her recollection of her past before this societal apocalypse, unveil themselves like the layers of an onion - a never-ending interweaving of recollections and current experiences which, in their close parallels with so much that seems to be happening in our current world, make it not just an uncomfortable read, as so many other reviewers have said; but an eerily prescient one for these times.I could go on about that aspect of what makes this such a valuable read for any person over the age of 10 years old, but I'm quite sure many of the 1,000 + prior reviewers will have spoken to that far more effectively than I ever could. But for me, what makes this book so great is the Voice that the protagonist gains as she struggles in such a harsh, unforgiving, and shockingly cruel environment - the brutal honesty with which that voice speaks to the horrors and impossible personal choices that any of us would have to make, faced with such a savagely misogynistic society. There is no turning away from those realities in this book; Offred is, clearly, no better than any of us; but, she is, perhaps, more honest about her choices than any of us would ever manage to be. She has no roads but dead ends; no feelings but pain, isolation, and tragic loss; in a society which both reviles her and yet absolutely, completely, stunningly, needs her.And yet. There is compassion - much compassion - in this book not just for Offred but for each of her persecutors; and a perfectly clear view, of each person in Offred's life, from the patriarchy which dictates every aspect of the lives of the Americans; to the women with whom she is forced to share the household; to the man who runs their lives - and in theory owns Offred, body and soul. Margaret Atwood has managed to capture the complete horror of this situation and yet the complete spectrum of needs and innate humanness - warts and all - of each of the players in this world, speaking with true sight not only about what they each do, but the real WHY of it, like a series of ornate but utterly constrained chess pieces moved about in a deadly game by unseen hands.Atwood's brilliance with the written word, the layers of meaning she assigns to so many individual words, is a both a challenge and a complete delight, no matter how difficult the topics she makes us consider. Each page is like unwrapping a gift of many layers of brightly colored paper, never knowing what you will ultimately find inside: something to treasure, or something to fear. Offred's voice and her observations of self, other, and society are so clear and beautiful, so bleak, sad and yet hopeful - so compelling - in making us see these people. There are many phrases and visions Atwood has generated that will stay with me, now, for life. I cannot say I am in all cases glad of that - but I know i am richer for it. And in reading many of the current, more negative responses of the Amazon reading community, I cannot help but wonder if their dislike of the book is in many cases driven precisely from Atwood's artistry with words. She holds up not a picture for us to view, but a mirror to reflect realities that in many cases no one in their right mind would want to see - they are far too close, too personal, too true. And yet - we MUST look.I do not see, as some others do, a depressing endgame in this book; quite the opposite. Offred's determination to survive no matter what the cost and her slow but relentless growth to her own form of power and eventual rebellion, is not so much a story as a roadmap. We could all do well by, like Offred, looking with clear eyes at this dystopian imagining. If, at the end of the day, this book leaves you uncomfortable or depressed or angry - good, if at the same time it also manages to leave you unsettled. Atwood's intent was never to entertain you but to inform you - and that, she does with a master's deft hand.Three days and counting. What will we learn in Atwood's new book? I look forward, with a perfectly uncomfortable blend of anticipation and anxiety, dread and hope, to the answer to that question. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐ All We Have is Perspective *by on Reviewed in the United States February 13, 2017* I picked up the kindle version of The Handmaid’s Tale due to the fact the library was out, and this book was not what I expected. I had heard of it many times before, a classic, and now it is culturally relevant more than it was a few years ago, probably explaining why the library was out. The strongest asset of this story is Margaret Atwood’s writing style. I was enthralled by her use of language and could not guess where the plot was going to go, which is almost always a good thing. In this case, however, I found the plot direction to be ultimately dissatisfying.This book reads more like a description of a very intricate and complicated society and less like a traditional story. The characters were fleshed-out and believable, yet by the end of the story I could not tell you how most of them grew or changed over the course of the book. The main character starts off by referencing aspects of the dystopian future she lives in, and slowly she reveals more details about this world as well as her past. I don’t think that the plot is supposed to be the focus of this book, but I couldn’t help being disappointed with the main character’s ending and the questions left over about her.I felt left hanging at the end of the book and especially at the end of the “Historical Notes” epilogue. It did explain some unanswered questions but for me also raised more. Typically I like open endings, because there tend to be a few likely possibilities and the reader can use their imagination or pick between what might be possible. With this book, however, I have no guess, I have no idea what might be possible endings to the main character’s story, which is only disappointing because I enjoyed the rest of the book so much. This is a minor complaint, though, considering that I imagine the book to be far more driven by description, metaphor, and social commentary than by the plot. Overall, though, I think that the descriptions and metaphors that paint her experience do a great job of building the world and tackling the important social issues that arise.This story has a lot to say about gender dynamics, relationships, procreation, and the way the government as well as society in general views and handles these issues. I think this could easily be seen as a cautionary tale, to keep empathy in mind and to try to see things from the view of “the other”. This is a story from a woman’s perspective, and the women in this story essentially function only as property of men, yet are controlled by other women. A society that has in many ways returned to the past.Atwood does a good job of also explaining the men’s dissatisfaction and unhappiness in this world, giving a sense of their perspective and how this future didn’t turn out how they’d hoped, which is a big reason I’d recommend this book to both men and women. There is a large amount of distrust observed by the main character, and I could see it applying to any person theoretically living in this dystopia, especially considering how different people have different kinds of power over each other. I think this resonates with real life, and I can identify with the main character in her seemingly constantly being aware of everyone having desires and negotiating. These are major themes I noticed in this story, which also does well to tie into the themes of relationships and friendships.These themes show us the importance of coming together, communicating, and standing up for others, especially when a government system creates enemies by generalizing large groups of people. This is an example of how this book is standing the test of time, is relevant now, and will likely continue to be relevant. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 1986 Novel Must-Read for Today! *by on Reviewed in the United States April 8, 2024* I had purchased this book quite some time ago when a friend of mine mention it to me... I had thoughts of Fifty Shades of Grey which I had purchased because another individual had liked it... Let me say right away that I read less than 50 pages of the latter and stopped reading. On the other hand, when in a discussion with a good friend, I was talking about the latest attempt to control women, looking to stop the use of an abortion pill that was been on the market for decades... At that point, she cried "OMG, The Handmaiden is Happening!After that conversation was over and I was home, I pulled up my copy of The Handmaid's Tale. It seemed like I was led to be reading it now... I knew immediately what my friend meant. At the end, I began to read the Historical Notes, but at first overlooked the date 2195... I went in search of what is referred to as the Gileadean Regime. Which was to have been the time during which a religious group had taken over America... Suddenly I had to agree. The Handmaid's Tale was now moving forward as had begun during the beginning of the decade... See my blog post for relevant videos I found... Women have been talking about this book since 2016, in particular!The main character is a young woman, much like my friend, who has a loving husband and a child. Soon, both of them have disappeared and she never sees them again. As we watch the woman, now given another name, she imagines what might have happened to her family. And she strives to remember the past, what was happening in her life and in the world... She is not allowed to have any contact with that world; she remembers though and hopes she will not lose those memories--of Luke, her husband and her child, a little girl... Once during the book, a picture of her daughter was shared by the wife of the man who now owned her... She wants a child enough that she is willing to bargain with his Handmaid...There are three handmaids for his man. We never know exactly who or what he does. It is irrelevant since they are closeted away and are only seen when sex is to occur. Both of the prospective parents are included in this charade... It is described in the book; it is terrible to visualize...And then after been raped by her owner a number of times, she arranges through his driver to have her visit him in his office. Interestingly, he asks her to play a board game... As time goes by, he introduces a magazine no longer in print, having been banned, and allows her to sit in the room to read it; he sits watching her... and they talk. He shares that he and his wife no longer talk to each other like they once did. He misses that. She now talks mostly with the wives of other owners, as they are permitted to interact only with them... It seems that every woman who is living at the time, has been given a job in their new locations... Marthas, for instance are the cooks, obviously named after the two sisters in the Bible, Martha being the one who quickly prepares a meal when Jesus visits...But there is little to do about religion in this world in which has been created... except what is important to ensure that women know their places... the reason seems to be close to what is being spouted now... white women are not now producing enough children... something had to be done... work was no longer possible. The women needed to be free to be available for those times when it was possible to get pregnant. Nothing else mattered.The entire book is centered into one household full of women--and one older man. Other men may work for the man as well; but the women all had specific tasks. And those who "believed" in what was happening were called Aunts; they were to train, supervise, and, if necessary, punish the handmaids. A cow prod was used.Soon the woman who has a new name is comfortable enough with the head of the house to have him ask her if she would like to have an adventure... She is taken to what we would call a brothel, she is dressed for the occasion from old, use, sex-oriented clothing that has been hidden away after all such activities were forbidden in the world... Only men of the Gilead Regime were members of the Club... And, yes, it was a sex club where the leaders of the group participated in their sexual interests--beyond what were performed with the Handmaids... Sound familiar?As you may already have realized, many of the things that were now forbidden for women in the book have already started occurring, based upon the move by a presidential candidate and his followers. There have been many women caught by the state congresses to stop abortions for religious reasons, it seems. I am one of the many Christians who do not accept that the Christian Nationalist Party has anything to do with God our Father... And, for me, Jesus His Son... If you have had any questions regarding this matter, I highly recommend you start reading...before it, too, is banned... The Handmaid's Tale spotlights exactly what will be happening to any woman if the party candidate (or his down-ballot candidates) are elected into office in 2024. In my opinion, there is no better way to see how religion as a single authority results in America going backward in progressive changes made during the last 100 years. Voting will be eliminated... All books of any kind will be removed... Women will be divided into groups, some of whom will be training young women to have unwelcomed sex with their new owner(s). Wives will be...tolerated...or ignored altogether... We have already seen that rape and incest are not to be factors in deciding about having an abortion. Indeed, no medical issues can affect the birth moving to completion, even if the new baby dies in the mother's arms soon thereafter. She will then be expected to begin again to provide a way to provide heirs for old men whose wives are past the age... This book prophesized it; we have not choice as women--we must speak out against it!I consider this a must-read for every woman, and man who will be left without a wife or forced to give up all children from their marriage... Margaret Atwood watched what was happening. She wrote a futuristic novel to illustrate what she foresaw... I, too, believe, "The Handmaid Tale is NOW Happening..."GABixlerReviews ## Frequently Bought Together - The Handmaid's Tale - The Testaments: A Novel (The Handmaid's Tale) - 1984: 75th Anniversary --- ## Why Shop on Desertcart? - 🛒 **Trusted by 1.3+ Million Shoppers** — Serving international shoppers since 2016 - 🌍 **Shop Globally** — Access 737+ million products across 21 categories - 💰 **No Hidden Fees** — All customs, duties, and taxes included in the price - 🔄 **15-Day Free Returns** — Hassle-free returns (30 days for PRO members) - 🔒 **Secure Payments** — Trusted payment options with buyer protection - ⭐ **TrustPilot Rated 4.5/5** — Based on 8,000+ happy customer reviews **Shop now:** [https://www.desertcart.com.sa/products/2204304-the-handmaids-tale-a-novel](https://www.desertcart.com.sa/products/2204304-the-handmaids-tale-a-novel) --- *Product available on Desertcart Saudi Arabia* *Store origin: SA* *Last updated: 2026-06-04*