The Testaments
The Testaments is a 2019 novel by Margaret Atwood. It is the sequel to The Handmaid's Tale (1985). The novel is set 15 years after the events of The Handmaid's Tale. It is narrated by Aunt Lydia, a character from the previous novel; Agnes, a young woman living in Gilead; and Daisy, a young woman living in Canada.
Cover of the first edition | |
| Author | Margaret Atwood |
|---|---|
| Audio read by | Ann Dowd Bryce Dallas Howard Mae Whitman Derek Jacobi Tantoo Cardinal Margaret Atwood |
| Cover artist | Noma Bar / Dutch Uncle |
| Country | Canada |
| Language | English |
| Genre | Science fiction, Dystopian fiction |
| Publisher | McClelland & Stewart (Canada) Nan A. Talese (US) Chatto & Windus (UK) |
Publication date | September 10, 2019 |
| Media type | Print (Hardcover) |
| Pages | 432 |
| ISBN | 978-0-385-54378-1 |
| 813.54 | |
| LC Class | PR9199.3.A8 |
| Preceded by | The Handmaid's Tale |
The Testaments was a joint winner of the 2019 Booker Prize, alongside Bernardine Evaristo's novel Girl, Woman, Other. It was also voted 'Best Fiction' novel in the Goodreads Choice Awards 2019, winning by over 50,000 votes.
Streaming service Hulu, which also produces the TV series adaptation of The Handmaid's Tale, announced in 2022 that The Testaments will also become a TV series after The Handmaid's Tale's final season concludes. Actress Ann Dowd will reprise her role as Aunt Lydia.