Set in the dystopian society of Gilead, The Handmaid’s Tale tells the story of Offred, a woman forced into servitude as a handmaid, whose sole purpose is to bear children for the ruling class.
As Offred navigates a world of rigid hierarchies and brutal control, she reflects on her lost freedoms and seeks subtle ways to resist. Atwood’s novel is a powerful exploration of gender oppression, religious extremism, and the resilience of the human spirit, making it both a chilling and thought-provoking read.
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25 Best Similar Books To The Handmaid’s Tale
1: The Shore of Women by Pamela Sargent
In a future world where women live in advanced cities and men are exiled to the wild, this novel explores gender roles and the nature of love through the stories of Birana and Arvil.
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2: Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut
A satirical, anti-war novel that follows Billy Pilgrim as he becomes unstuck in time, experiencing moments from his life, including the bombing of Dresden during World War II.
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3: Brown Girl in the Ring by Nalo Hopkinson
Set in a dystopian Toronto, this novel follows Ti-Jeanne, who must embrace her Caribbean heritage and spiritual powers to save her family from a powerful drug lord.
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4: Brave New World by Aldous Huxley
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5: In the Country of Last Things by Paul Auster
A bleak dystopian novel following Anna Blume as she navigates a collapsing city, searching for her missing brother in a world where hope is scarce.
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6: All the Birds in the Sky by Charlie Jane Anders
A blend of science fiction and fantasy, this novel follows the intertwined lives of a witch and a tech genius as they navigate an impending apocalypse, balancing magic, science, and friendship.
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7: Animal Farm by George Orwell
A political allegory in which farm animals overthrow their human owner, only to see their new leaders, the pigs, become as corrupt and oppressive as the humans they replaced.
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8: The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
In a dystopian future, Katniss Everdeen fights for survival in a televised death match, becoming a symbol of rebellion against the oppressive regime of Panem.
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9: Anthem by Ayn Rand
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10: Agenda 21 by Glenn Beck, Harriet Parke
Set in a dystopian future, this novel follows Emmeline as she fights against a draconian government that controls every aspect of life in the name of environmental protection.
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11: The Trial by Franz Kafka
A surreal, existential novel about Josef K., who is arrested and put on trial without being told his crime. The story explores themes of bureaucracy, alienation, and the absurdity of the legal system.
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12: The Sheep Look Up by John Brunner
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13: Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro
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14: Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury
In a future where books are banned, fireman Guy Montag begins to question his role in society as he discovers the value of knowledge and the dangers of censorship.
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15: Panther in the Hive by Olivia A. Cole
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16: Parable of the Talents by Octavia E. Butler
A dystopian novel that follows Lauren Olamina as she builds a new religious community in a chaotic, future America while facing the rise of a violent, authoritarian regime.
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17: The Double by Fyodor Dostoevsky
A psychological novella about Yakov Petrovich Golyadkin, who encounters his exact double, leading him into paranoia and madness as his life is gradually usurped.
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18: Jennifer Government by Max Barry
A satirical dystopian novel set in a world where corporations rule, following Hack Nike and Jennifer Government as they navigate a deadly, consumer-driven society.
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19: The Giver by Lois Lowry
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21: A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess
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22: Lord of the Flies by William Golding
A group of boys stranded on a deserted island descends into savagery, revealing the dark side of human nature and the thin veneer of civilization.
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24: 1984 by George Orwell
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25: The Dispossessed by Ursula K. Le Guin
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