The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood

Offred is a Handmaid in the Republic of Gilead. She may leave the home of the Commander and his wife once a day to walk to food markets whose signs are now pictures instead of words because women are no longer allowed to read. She must lie on her back once a month and pray that the Commander makes her pregnant, because in an age of declining fertility, Offred and the other Handmaids are valued only if their ovaries are viable. Offred can remember the years before, when she lived and made love with her husband, Luke; when she played with and protected her daughter; when she had a job, money of her own, and access to knowledge. But all of that is gone now...



Our first ever Margaret Atwood novel had our heads spinning in all directions … from uncomfortable and creepy to clever and interesting with a certain respectful awe in what the author has been able to create.

No one was exactly comfortable with this book’s theme, but then, we were never really meant to be, were we? The fact that every shocking event Atwood has included has happened somewhere in the world at some time, demands a certain amount of reverent appreciation. Her subject matter is deeply thought out and portrayed in a highly believable environment where human frailty is a constant escort.

Regardless of our unease, and the fact that speculative fiction is not necessarily a favoured genre, it was noted that the writing was of a high quality with an extremely prophetic concept, considering its time of publishing, the ‘80s.

Most of us found it challenging in many ways … as women (with a feminist slant), as readers and as human beings. The facts of the story are purposely left open to interpretation, which went a long way towards creating a most stimulating discussion and it was very interesting to hear everyone’s take on a variety of topics. Politics, religion, history and last but not least, what makes a brilliant novel. If you like to challenge yourself and are not adverse to speculation, give this one a go. Like us, you’ll be glad you did.

The Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barbery

Renee is the concierge of a grand Parisian apartment building, home to members of the great and the good. Over the years she has maintained her carefully constructed persona as

someone reliable but totally uncultivated, in keeping, she feels, with society's expectations of

what a concierge should be. But beneath this facade lies the real Renee passionate about

culture and the arts, and more knowledgeable in many ways than her employers with their

outwardly successful but emotionally void lives.

Down in her lodge, apart from weekly visits by her one friend Manuela, Renee lives resigned

to her lonely lot with only her cat for company. Meanwhile, several floors up, twelve-year-old Paloma is determined to avoid the pampered and vacuous future laid out for her, and decides to end her life on her thirteenth birthday. But unknown to them both, the sudden

death of one of their privileged neighbours will dramatically alter their lives forever.

Everyone had something worthwhile to say about this month’s book. In fact, it took us a whole sixty minutes of discussion before we came to the mostly unanimous opinion that this is a great book and a most enjoyable read.

The story itself was not a new one … social misfit takes a chance and opens her life to others with positive outcomes. But the characters, and there are many … Renee, Paloma, Ozu and the many tenants, provide an extremely entertaining and profoundly relevant situation that struck a chord with our group.

We all found something of interest in this human web of relationships. Nancy picked out Renee’s reverse snobbery, Viti the conjuncture of old and young, and Lorna mentioned the pigeonholing of people which we all believed to be a pronounced theme throughout.

It was mentioned that as a translation this book may have lost something, but generally it was decided that the philosophical nature of the story came through and touched us with a good balance of what is needed for a worthwhile novel. Our group is not normally easy to please but Hedgehog draws on a poignant veneer of life that satisfied the discerning reader in all of us.