Margaret Atwood: The Handmaid's Tale

I was sure had read this before but remembered very little so this was like a first time.
It's a book that has an almost iconic status it seems ( but not solely because of today's world) but there were interesting things I noted about my response to it. Drawing parallels did not seem.particularly interesting to me although I have read articles that do this most intriguingly. Also knowing how the situation shown came about was not of great interest or import to me. I think this may have been the authors intention as the focus is on the life and mind of the central character. Her thoughts and responses are what makes this so powerful, her life and experiences now, not how she got there.
I liked to the way, structurally, this element was worked into the story and how the back history was gradually and non-chronologically, filled in...the past illuminating and commenting on the present and vice versa which made both elements more powerful and vivid.
Would be fascinated to see how adaptation works
I was not convinced by the final section the faux academic conference, entertainingly written though it was with the laboured and insular academic jokes and style mocking; suspects the author was able to draw on some personal experiences.
However the very open end was excellent and a brave artistic choice.