The Handmaid's Tale vs The Testaments: Which Should You Read?
Both live on shelves: Misogyny, Canadian fiction, Dystopian, Romance & Relationships, Science Fiction, Fiction
The Handmaid's Tale
“We slept in what had become the gymnasium.”
The Handmaid's Tale is a dystopian novel by Canadian author Margaret Atwood, published in 1985. It is set in a near-future New England, in a strongly patriarchal, totalitarian theonomic state, known as the Republic of…
1 film adaptation
vs
The Testaments
15 years after the sons of Jacob seized power in the USA and became Gilead. The story is told from three female viewpoints; Daisy, Agnes and Lydia. Daisy struggles with coming to the realization of her past and who…
1 film adaptation
The verdict
- Readers rate The Testaments highest: The Testaments 4.4 · The Handmaid's Tale 4.2.
- The Handmaid's Tale has the widest readership — 2547838 ratings behind its score.
- The Handmaid's Tale runs the darker storyline; The Testaments stays the lighter read.
How to choose
Want the crowd-tested pick?
The Handmaid's Tale
2547838 ratings vs 3836 for The Testaments
New to the genre?
The Testaments
Light vs Moderate for The Handmaid's Tale
In the mood for something dark?
The Handmaid's Tale
a darker storyline than The Testaments
Want something lighter?
The Testaments
an easier tone than The Handmaid's Tale
Scores by source
| The Handmaid's Tale | The Testaments | |
|---|---|---|
| Goodreads | 4.2 (2547838) | — |
| Hardcover | 4.0 (1) | 4.0 (710) |
| Google Books | 4.0 (26) | 3.0 (2) |
| Apple Books | 4.5 (772) | 4.5 (3836) |
Reception
| The Handmaid's Tale | The Testaments | |
|---|---|---|
| Ratings | 2547838 | 3836 |
| Editions | 174 | 23 |
| Film adaptations | 1 | 1 |
| Want to read | 1855885 | — |
| Reading it now | 191197 | — |
| Written reviews | 132612 | — |
| Wikipedia attention | 89532 | 46256 |
| Pages | 411 | 512 |