I decided to read this book in light of everything going on in American politics, and wow. This book is so important, and I feel like everyone should read it, especially those who often choose inaction.  

Atwood does an incredible job of handling such serious subject matters. She takes great care to portray the events as realistically as possible. She manages to create such a captivating story without it feeling exploitative. I love the way she writes our main character. She is complicated. She is not the heroine she wishes she could be, and she feels so much like how we would probably react given her situation. Both the characters and the world feel so painfully realistic, and the fact that everything she writes about has had some historical basis is haunting. 

Every page felt like it was full of meaning and impact. This is the first book I have ever felt the need to annotate. There are so many lines and messages that will stick with me forever.