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The Testaments

By: Margaret Atwood
Narrated by: Bryce Dallas Howard,Ann Dowd,Mae Whitman,Derek Jacobi,Tantoo Cardinal,Margaret Atwood
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Publisher's Summary

Brought to you by Penguin.

Winner of the Booker Prize 2019.

The British Book Awards Audiobook of the Year 2020

The Testaments by Margaret Atwood is read by Ann Dowd, Bryce Dallas Howard and Mae Whitman with Derek Jacobi, Tantoo Cardinal and Margaret Atwood.

Margaret Atwood's dystopian masterpiece, The Handmaid's Tale, is a modern classic. Now she brings the iconic story to a dramatic conclusion in this riveting sequel.

More than fifteen years after the events of The Handmaid's Tale, the theocratic regime of the Republic of Gilead maintains its grip on power, but there are signs it is beginning to rot from within. At this crucial moment, the lives of three radically different women converge, with potentially explosive results.

Two have grown up as part of the first generation to come of age in the new order. The testimonies of these two young women are joined by a third voice: a woman who wields power through the ruthless accumulation and deployment of secrets.

As Atwood unfolds The Testaments, she opens up the innermost workings of Gilead as each woman is forced to come to terms with who she is, and how far she will go for what she believes.

'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.' Margaret Atwood

©2019 Margaret Atwood (P)2019 Penguin Audio

Critic Reviews

Gripping, pacy and beautifully written (Justine Jordan)
Finding hope in a hopeless place, this is everything The Handmaid’s Tale fans wanted and more. Prepare to hold your breath throughout, and to cry real tears at the end. My book of the year (Kayleigh Dray)
The Testaments is Atwood at her best, in its mixture of generosity, insight and control. The prose is adroit, direct, beautifully turned. All over the reading world, the history books are being opened to the next blank page and Atwood’s name is written at the top of it. To read this book is to feel the world turning (Anne Enright)

What listeners say about The Testaments

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Ultimately disappointing

I was so excited to finally get my hands on the sequel to The Handmaids Tale. And initially, The Testaments was promising. The Aunt Lydia backstory was intriguing and learning a bit more about the foundation of Gilead was great. But I'm sad to say that the second half of the book really was awful. It was cliched, predictable, sentimental and ultimately unbelievable. I won't say any more should I spoil it for those who wish to listen, but be warned, it's as though Atwood was just churning out very sub standard pulp fiction in order to please the masses.

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12 people found this helpful

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So grateful for more Aunt Lydia!!

Loved every minute. Could not stop listening.
I wasn't sure what to expect when I heard there was a second book being written, but this has certainly been a treat.
I really enjoyed getting to know more of Aunt Lydia's story.
My only disappointment is that I couldn't pace myself and now I'm already finished!

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7 people found this helpful

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Finally... the rest of the story

A satisfying sequel to the original book that also builds on the TV series. It gives you an insight into the lives of other characters and roles that we have not heard much of before: the aunts, the commanders' daughters, and baby Nicole. I particularly enjoyed the new layers to Aunt Lydia and several other elements that came together to give a more complex and well-rounded picture of Gilead and a feeling of at least partial redemption.

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Wowsers!! Great book

So tbh I didn’t like the hand maidens tale, and June drove me wild on the page and screen. This was spectacular- really engaging and Anne Dowd was a nice touch.

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4 people found this helpful

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Lackluster

Lackluster sequel to a great book. Wasn't needed and takes away from the original. Wouldn't recommend.

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Testament

Overall a satisfying sequel, but a little too heavy on the fan-service. Felt a little bit lowest common denominator in some places.

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Thank you Margaret Atwood

Thank you Margaret Atwood, 35 years between novels seemed to long, however you have done it. Magnificent read that answers the questions and makes this one reader very happy.

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Ann Dowd and cast were fantastic

A most unforgettable experience, thank you Margaret Atwood and cast. I loved Ann Dowd's performance the best. Moving.

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Satisfying Closure

I loved how this answers so much left open from The Handmaid's Tale. the voice actors were perfect. I couldn't stop listening!

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Brilliant as you would expect from Margaret Atwood

An absolute must for any fan of The Handmaid’s Tales. I couldn’t stop listening and was pleased with the answers to so many questions.

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