The Handmaid's Tale unfolds into every woman's worst nightmare. This highly popular Hulu television series is based on Margaret Atwood's equally popular 1985 novel of the same name. In this story, the Republic of Gilead is a dystopian society where women endure rape and then give birth in a cycle. They are natal slaves deemed less than others by society. Their place in the world is dismal, but they must accept it or face the consequences.
The Handmaid's Tale is especially disturbing and thrilling because it shows what our current world could turn into. This notion is horrifying. We watch the suffering these women endure but root for them to triumph against the politics that govern them. If you enjoyed The Handmaid's Tale, you will surely love these ten books and two bonus watches that capture the essence of dystopian fiction with a feminist twist.
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In Only Ever Yours, a young woman's purpose is to be beautiful and desirable. A woman must accept her fate and endure a short lifetime of abuse and mistreatment to appease the man who owns her. This haunting novel shares many similarities to The Handmaid's Tale. If you enjoy dystopian fiction
and enjoy the thrill of seeing glimmers of our world seep into this evil, future world, you'll love Only Ever Yours. Read here.
2.The Glass Arrow by Kristen Simmons
Aya lives in a world where women are no longer equal to men. Instead, they are sold, forced to marry, and then bred. The new government takes her from her family, so Aya runs to the mountains to try and escape her fate. Readers will be on the edge of their seats as they cheer for Aya's freedom against the
oppressive government that hates women. If you were a fan of The Handmaid's Tale, you'll definitely like The Glass Arrow, a novel with a resilient female protagonist doing her best to escape a dystopian, misogynistic hell. Read here.
3.The Women Could Fly by Megan Giddings
In Josephine's world, women must marry by 30, but at 28, she knows she's not ready for that. She spends years wondering what happened to her missing mother, but while feeling constricted by society, she understands if her mother simply ran away. If you enjoyed The Handmaid's Tale for its social commentary,
you will also enjoy The Women Could Fly, which explores race, misogyny, and feminism. Read here.
Calla receives a blue ticket in the lottery, which means she will have a career and the freedom of choice throughout her life. The other option would have been a white ticket which gives you a husband and motherhood. Although the lottery is supposedly never wrong, Calla wonders if she was meant to get a
white ticket when she ends up pregnant. The removal of women's freedom in society is a significant theme in both Blue Ticket and The Handmaid's Tale, so if that resonates with you, you'll find Blue Ticket incredibly poignant. Read here.
The women in Green City are forced to populate the city by giving birth continuously. Some women avoid this fate and are even protected by men by providing emotional intimacy to society's elite. However, when the government's authoritarian regime catches on, the women must rebel to avoid punishment
and maintain their autonomy. Before She Sleeps shows the strength of women in a cruel world that is trying to control them. If The Handmaid's Tale enraged you but also lit a fire in you to be a proud feminist, you'll share the same sentiments while reading Before She Sleeps. Read here.
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In Gather the Daughters, everyone knows their place in society. The men can explore, the women must be dutiful wives, the adolescents prepare for marriage, and the children run free. This cycle continues, but it only takes a few to break it. This novel shares a story of control and eventual rebellion in a dystopian world.
If you enjoyed reading about the dark potential of humanity in The Handmaid's Tale, you would also get a thrill from Gather the Daughters. Read here.
Mary lives in a cruel world that punishes her for survival. She steals a loaf of bread to eat and is consequently sentenced to be a Sin Eater. She is branded with this title with the hopes that she will eventually redeem herself. Through this journey, Mary becomes the apprentice of a kind and older Sin Eater who is
unfairly murdered. Mary decides to avenge her only ally. Fans of The Handmaid's Tale will adore Mary's spirit and resilience as a shunned woman as she fights for what is right at any cost. Read here.
Societal standards for women can be harsh, and Such a Pretty Smile takes it to the extreme. This dystopian novel tells women exactly how they should and shouldn't act and shows the violent consequences they face if they don't follow the norms. A mother and daughter duo work together to fight instead of
being the demure women they're told to be. The Handmaid's Tale does incorporate violence, but it's done to show the cruelty of society, and Such a Pretty Smile does the same. If you find the harsh realism in both stories gripping, you can't go wrong with Such a Pretty Smile. Read here.
Celestine is the model young woman until she's not. She makes one mistake standing up for someone in need and is immediately demoted to flawed, the worst label you can have in society. She loses all of the luxuries of her former life, but this doesn't bring her down. Instead, she decides to take down the
oppressors. Celestine is a strong female protagonist who is living in a world that is only a little more extreme than our own. If the potential reality of The Handmaid's Tale haunts you, Flawed will equally disturb you with the way certain people are controlled and viewed in a near-future society. Read here.
Watching your rights get stripped away one by one can be unfathomable and heartwrenching. This is what Dr. Jean McClellan endures in Vox. She quickly finds herself living under a government where women are only permitted to say 100 words a day. Jean is horrified for herself, her daughter, and women
everywhere. She is willing to risk her life to provide a better world for her daughter to live in. If you're a fan of The Handmaid's Tale, you will love Vox's take on how women are viewed in society and how women can have the strength to do anything when provoked. Read here.
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Bonus Picks! Movies Similar to The Handmaid’s Tale
The Survivalist is a 2015 film that shows a future where food and supplies are scarce. When two women show up at the survivalist's farm, they barter sex for food. This arrangement works well, but the survivalist doesn't know that the women are plotting against him. This film depicts a dystopian world where
survival is cutthroat and difficult decisions need to be made. Fans of The Handmaid's Tale will enjoy the thrill of a survival tale and the ways different genders have unique advantages to conquer one another. Watch here.
The Circle is a film based on Dave Egger's 2013 novel of the same name. It centers around Mae, who has just landed her dream job at an internet-based tech company. She soon gains popularity as she increases her transparency, filming herself 24/7. As viewers, we can foresee the trouble Mae will find
herself in as social media consumes her. Fans of The Handmaid's Tale will appreciate the warning message that subliminally plays throughout the film. Our society isn't at this point yet, but it has the potential to get there. This harrowing thought strikes viewers for both The Handmaid's Tale and The Circle. Watch here.
There you have it! If you enjoyed The Handmaid's Tale, you will surely love these ten books and two bonus watches that capture the essence of dystopian fiction with a feminist twist. From spine-tingling thrillers to time-twisting psychological dramas, there's something on this list for everyone. So curl up with your favorite blanket and get ready to be shocked, surprised, and entertained by your next favorite mystery.
