I never read the books but have been watching the new version of the story. I think reading the book would probably make the most sense, as the ideas conveyed are more fluid from their origin. The recent episodes by Hulu offer the newest camera advances and are visually stunning. The ideas behind the story, being mainly theonomy and totalitarianism to me are ideas that somehow belong as a topic of discussion in the chastity mansion. Inadvertently I think this place is both a safe place for the most open minded free thinkers and those traditionalists at the same time. Which is odd and amusing and ripe with potential. I say so that's why. Chastity is indeed a form of control, and how you use it may say a lot about you. How very interesting. Do you yourself fall into the category of traditionalist? Seeing chastity and the lifestyle as a moral imperative? Or is the practice of chastity about fetish and sexual freedom? If there were to be some sort of gender policing to happen by government to the extent that is conveyed in the handmaid's tale, would you be on the side of the theonomy, or the rebellion? I believe that here within these e walls there are some of the most informed people on these particular subject matters. If not by intellect, by pure demonstration instead. It would be very interesting to see which side everyone fell into, hypothetically speaking of course.
I've read the book and while the concept is interesting and socially relevant now more than ever, I think the book fails at telling a good story. I haven't seen the show and never will, but there is a decent chance it is actually better if they are willing to diverge from the source material in terms of plot/characters. I say that as someone who LOVES books.
The author is actively involved with the latest iteration of the book. I think she even has a cameo near the beginning. Perhaps it is better just on that alone. A second look, if you will, may produce better results.
My Wife and I both read the book years ago, and we signed up for Hulu just to see the first season of HT, which we both liked. We’ve gone to see Margaret Atwood speak in person, and we both admire her as a writer and thinker. But we never got past the first episode of season 2. It seemed like the violence inflicted on the handmaids was entirely gratuitous and bordered on torture porn. Maybe the rest of the season got better, but I doubt we’ll ever know.
I haven't seen the programme but I've read the book. Margaret Atwood is an author I admire but really don't like. There's a coldness to her worldview I find troubling. Moralist or fetishist? Interesting question, that. I'm certainly not doing chastity for moral reasons. But am I doing it for fetishistic reasons? Again, I'd say no. So why? For the absolute hell of it? Because I want to? Because I think it's a good thing to do? Yes, all of those, probably