BIG INTV: Margaret Atwood on Doomscrolling: ‘I Want to Keep Up With the Latest Doom’

The novel is set in a near-future New England in the Republic of Gilead, a patriarchal, totalitarian state that has overthrown the United States government. Offred, the narrator, is one of the 'Handmaids', women who are forcibly assigned to produce children for the ruling class, known as 'Commanders'. The story explores themes of powerless women, loss of female agency and individuality, and the suppression of women's reproductive rights. Offred's life is marked by her restrictive routine, her memories of her past life, and her interactions with the Commander, his wife Serena Joy, and other Handmaids, including her friend Ofglen who is part of an underground resistance movement. The novel is a scathing satire, an ominous warning, and a tour de force of narrative suspense.

Published in 1908, the novel tells the story of Anne Shirley, an 11-year-old orphan girl who is sent by mistake to live with Matthew and Marilla Cuthbert, who had intended to adopt a boy to help them on their farm in Avonlea. Despite initial reservations, Anne's vivid imagination, talkativeness, and joyful spirit transform the lives of the Cuthberts and the community. The novel follows Anne's adventures in school, her friendships, and her rivalry with Gilbert Blythe, as well as her growth and adaptation to her new home. Montgomery infused the work with her own girlhood experiences and the rural life and traditions of Prince Edward Island.