The Handmaid's Tale books in order

Q: "How many books are in the The Handmaid's Tale series?"

"There are four books in the The Handmaid's Tale series, published between 1985 and 2019."

Q: "What is the first book in the The Handmaid's Tale series?"

"The first book in the The Handmaid's Tale series is Orjattaresi, published in 1985."

Q: "\"Do I need to read The Handmaid's Tale before The Testaments?\""

"Reading The Handmaid's Tale first is strongly recommended. The Testaments is a direct sequel set fifteen years later in the same world, and it builds on characters and events from the original novel."

Reading order

#	Title	Published	Author	Buy on Amazon
1	Orjattaresi	1985	Margaret Atwood	N/A
2	The Handmaid’s Tale	1986	Margaret Atwood	Buy
3	The Testaments	2019	Margaret Atwood	Buy
4	Заветы	2019	Margaret Atwood	N/A

“The Handmaid’s Tale (1986) is set in the Republic of Gilead, a totalitarian theocracy that has replaced the United States. The novel is narrated by Offred, a woman forced into reproductive servitude. It became one of the most widely read dystopian novels of the twentieth century and was adapted into a Hulu television series in 2017.”

The Testaments (2019) returns to Gilead fifteen years after the events of the first novel, told through three different narrators. It won the Booker Prize in 2019, shared with Bernardine Evaristo’s Girl, Woman, Other.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many books are in the The Handmaid's Tale series?

There are four books in the The Handmaid’s Tale series, published between 1985 and 2019.

What is the first book in the The Handmaid's Tale series?

The first book in the The Handmaid’s Tale series is Orjattaresi, published in 1985.

"Do I need to read The Handmaid's Tale before The Testaments?"

Reading The Handmaid’s Tale first is strongly recommended. The Testaments is a direct sequel set fifteen years later in the same world, and it builds on characters and events from the original novel.

Reading order#

Frequently Asked Questions

Reading order