9 Books Like The Handmaid’s Tale

Nolite Te Bastardes Carborundorum. Every The Handmaid’s Tale novel or series fan knows the significance behind this pseudo-Latin phrase. It is kind of synonyms with smash the patriarchy. They are more than just words scratched on a closet wall. I’ll admit that I watched the TV series first and then read the classic novel written by Margaret Atwood. 

Atwood’s depiction of a futuristic dystopian world (Republic of Gilead) where autonomy, freedom, and identity are snatched away from its residents is nothing short of brilliant. The dictatorship, the helplessness/dehumanization of women, their resilience, and quiet resistance. They all make up for a groundbreaking novel. 

After I finished this award winning book, I quickly did my own little research and found some more books like The Handmaid’s Tale to fulfill that need to read more thought-provoking stories. Take a look at these spellbinding novels and add them to your TBR list. 

1. Vox by Christina Dalcher

books like the handmaid's tale

Goodreads Rating: 3.5/5

Vox is one of the powerful dystopian novels that is set in a futuristic United States of America. What fascinated me the most about this book was its plot. The government has silenced women and they are allowed to speak only 100 words a day. If they speak more than that, a counter (the machine that counts their words) shocks them. 

Like Atwood, Christina Dalcher perfectly captures the patriarchal oppression, feminist trope, and political oppression. Sonia grew up believing that being voiceless is normal, but her mother, Dr. Jean McClellan, goes to extreme lengths to protect and liberate her daughter. If you are looking to read authoritarian regime novels where women fight against it, this is the book for you. 

2. The Power by Naomi Alderman

books like the handmaid's tale

Goodreads Rating: 3.75/5

If your TBR list is lacking in feminist dystopia books, then Naomi Alderman’s electrifying and thrilling novel will have you turning pages all night. Imagine a world where women are physically stronger than men. That’s the premise of The Power. On a random day, teenage girls discover a mysterious ability to generate electrostatic shock from their hands.

It’s sort of a feminist science fiction where men and women are caught in a turmoil. It is an intoxicating book. A mix of revenge fantasy and power dynamics. This speculative fiction will surely leave you breathless by questioning not just who has power, but what power does to those who have it.

3. Parable of the Sower by Octavia E. Butler

books like the handmaid's tale

Goodreads Rating: 4.2/5

Written by Octavia E. Butler, Parable of the Sower is the first book in the Earthseed instalment. It is set in a near-future, chaotic California that is ravaged by climate change, violence, and inequality. The story revolves around Lauren, a 14-year-old girl, who has a strong power due to her mother’s drug abuse. 

Lauren Olamina has hyperempathy. She can feel other people’s pain and pleasure, and if they are her own. This dystopian fiction book is both terrifying and hopeful at the same time. A must-read in this list of dystopian books, especially for those who want to read about complex characters with social commentary. 

RELATED READING: 11 Space Books Every Astrophile Must Read

4. Red Clocks by Leni Zumas

books like the handmaid's tale

Goodreads Rating: 3.6/5

Abortion is once illegal in this futuristic novel by Leni Zumas. Plus, IVF is banned, and single women cannot adopt. In Red Clocks, the government has reproductive rights over wome,n and it makes you think about how they are viewed as nothing more than vessels of reproduction. 

The plot revolves around four women: the Biographer, the Mender, the Wife, the Daughter. Ro, Gin, Susan, and Mattie. All four women are battling some aspect of pregnancy. Their stories intersect, questioning women’s autonomy, choice, and identity. It’s one among the best feminist dystopia books to read if you loved The Handmaid’s Tale.  

5. Only Ever Yours by Louise O’Neill

books like the handmaid's tale

Goodreads Rating: 3.7/5

This is perhaps the darkest feminist science fiction book in this list. In Only Ever Yours, women are genetically engineered and trained to please men. Horrifying, right? What’s more nerve-wracking is that they are ranked by the way they pleasure men and reproduce. 

This 406-page chunky speculative feminist fiction book highlights another important aspect: The unrealistic beauty standards that girls and women go through in their lives. Louise O’Neill doesn’t just portray a dystopian future in this book, she holds up a mirror to our own society that is full of gender inequality.  Her patriarchy in fiction is, in fact, the real world problems and pressures of women.

6. Future Home of the Living God by Louise Erdrich

books like the handmaid's tale

Goodreads Rating: 3.6/5

Louise Erdrich builds a near-future America where pregnancy is dangerous in her book, Future Home of the Living God, an epistolary novel. The evolution is reversing, and Cedar Hawk, the protagonist, is four months pregnant. The government controls every move of its residents must confront all the chaos that’s thrown in her way.

I would classify this as a dystopian thriller novel because it kept me on the edge of my seat throughout. It made me think about what would happen when your personal freedom is stripped off. If you want to read a book about authoritarian control, pick this up right away. 

RELATED READING: 10 Books That Predicted The Future With Shocking Accuracy

7. Gather the Daughters by Jennie Melamed

books like the handmaid's tale

Goodreads Rating: 3.6/5

Gather the Daughters is the only book that made me feel claustrophobic while reading it. It’s a dystopian novel set on a remote island where a patriarchal society controls every aspect of your life. The daughters living on the island are being trained on how to be the best wives. They are taught to clean, cook, and wash clothes.

However, when a 17-year-old Lisabeth questions the stringent rules of the patriarchy, it wreaks havoc. Melamed’s narration style is haunting and precise and her book is sure to evoke feelings of dread, anger, and hope.  

8. When She Woke by Hillary Jordan

books like the handmaid's tale

Goodreads Rating: 3.6/5

When I read this book, I couldn’t help but draw comparisons with The Scarlet Letter. The author paints a similar ambiance where women are criminalized for having abortions. Their skin is dyed red to mark them as outcasts. A punishment for “murdering” their unborn child. 

The story is about Hannah Payne, who must navigate the society’s furious gaze, the public shaming, and whatnot. The novel is deeply terrifying, yet it feels so real. It is one of the most thought-provoking books I have ever read.

9. The Testaments by Margaret Atwood

books like the handmaid's tale

Goodreads Rating: 4.2/5

The Testaments is Marget Atwood’s sequel to The Handmaid’s Tale that is set fifteen years later. Written from the perspectives of three women, the social dystopia of Gilead is declining. Through these women’s stories, Atwood explores strong themes like power and oppression. 

Atwood’s second book in this installment is gripping and heartening. It is just as amazing as its first book and shows how having courage is the best possible way to beat an oppressive patriarchal society. This is hands down one of the best oppressive society books that will leave you wanting for more.

Conclusion

These books, like The Handmaid’s Tale, offer intense yet excellent explorations of dystopia, oppressive governments, controlling men, and women coming together to free themselves. Each novel is a page-turner, they offer experiences you won’t forget. They will make you question the world you are living in. So, get ready to be thrilled, horrified, and inspired all at once. 

15 Best Magical Realism Books Of All Time

13 Best Vampire Romance Books Of All Time

The Best 10 Viking History Books And More

Simra Sadaf
Simra Sadaf

Simra Sadaf, a writer and a devoted Dostoevsky fan, has more conversations with fictional characters than human beings. With a brain that harbors deep thoughts, she is perpetually stuck in an existential crisis. She doesn't talk to those who don't know how to pronounce Nietzsche.

Articles: 40

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *