{"id":269213,"date":"2025-11-05T10:00:20","date_gmt":"2025-11-04T23:00:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.russh.com\/?p=269213"},"modified":"2025-11-05T09:35:23","modified_gmt":"2025-11-04T22:35:23","slug":"best-margaret-atwood-books","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.russh.com\/best-margaret-atwood-books\/","title":{"rendered":"Nine of the best Margaret Atwood books to add to your reading list"},"content":{"rendered":"

She’s written across decades, genres, and moods \u2013 dystopian nightmares, razor-sharp satires, haunting mysteries<\/a>, and essays that burn with wit. But whether you\u2019re new to Margaret Atwood’s books or a longtime admirer, we’re outlining the 9 essentials to add to your reading list.<\/p>\n

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1. Book of Lives: A Memoir of Sorts<\/em><\/a><\/h3>\n

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After decades of insisting she\u2019d never write a memoir, Atwood finally gave in \u2013 and it\u2019s worth the wait. Book of Lives<\/em> is part reflection, part origin story \u2013 and perfect for readers who love peeling back the curtain on a creative life.<\/p>\n

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2. The Handmaid’s Tale<\/em><\/a><\/h3>\n

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If you somehow haven\u2019t read this modern classic, start here. Set in the chilling theocracy of Gilead, it\u2019s dystopian fiction that feels alarmingly plausible. It’s won a tonne of awards, and was made into an award-winning TV show too<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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3. The Testaments<\/em><\/a><\/h3>\n

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A sequel that delivers. Set fifteen years after The Handmaid\u2019s Tale<\/em>, it expands the world through multiple voices. There’s a film version in the works too, starring One Battle After Another’s <\/em>breakout actor Chase Infiniti<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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4. Oryx and Crake<\/a>\u00a0<\/em><\/h3>\n

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The first in Atwood\u2019s MaddAddam<\/em> trilogy, this is speculative fiction at its sharpest \u2013 science, apocalypse, and dark humourr. Ideal for readers who loved Black Mirror<\/a>.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

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5. Hag-Seed<\/a>\u00a0<\/em><\/h3>\n

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A brilliant retelling of Shakespeare\u2019s The Tempest, <\/em>but set in a prison theatre program. If you like meta-fiction, redemption arcs, or sly humour, this one\u2019s for you.<\/p>\n

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6. The Edible Woman<\/em><\/a><\/h3>\n

\"\"Atwood\u2019s debut novel still bites \u2013 literally. This one’s a sharp, surreal exploration of consumer culture and female identity. We’d recommend for fans of Fleabag<\/em><\/a> or Ottessa Moshfegh<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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7. The Blind Assassin<\/em><\/a><\/h3>\n

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A novel within a novel, laced with mystery and melancholy. It won both the Booker Prize<\/a> and the Hammett Prize, and is littered with literary puzzles and emotionally layered storytelling.<\/p>\n

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8. Burning Questions<\/em><\/a><\/h3>\n

\"\"Smart, funny, and fiercely observant, these essays showcase Atwood the thinker and cultural commentator.<\/p>\n

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9. Old Babes in the Wood<\/em><\/a><\/h3>\n

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Atwood’s 2023 short-story collection revisits familiar themes \u2013 love, loss, and aging \u2013 with warmth and bite. A great re-entry into her work for the long-time admirers.<\/p>\n

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