This is one of the best-written novels, especially dystopian novels, that I have ever read. The tone is dark and gloomy, there is no happiness in this novel, but this is what I imagine a totalitarian government to be like. Even though the novel scared me, it made me think. After reading the first few pages, I needed to take a break and examine society and the way women are treated. Handmaids were essentially just ovaries, not humans, and those without "viable ovaries" were eliminated. As scary as it may seem to live in such a society, the reality is that some women do. A woman's worth generally depends on whether she has children or has a husband, especially one of high status (wives in the novel). However, I have to say that The Handmaid's Tale, featuring Republic of Gilead, made me appreciate my freedom (privilege) as an American.