Order of Book Series
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Handmaid's Tale Books in Order

Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood contains 2 books, published between 1986 and 2019. The first book is The Handmaid's Tale (1986) and the newest is The Testaments (2019). Publication order is the reading order below.

Books
2
Published
1986–2019
Confirmed
2 of 2 titles
Total pages
730 across 2 books
See all 2 books in order Printable Handmaid's Tale checklist

The Handmaid's Tale is Margaret Atwood's dystopian sequence, set in the Republic of Gilead, a totalitarian theonomic state that has overthrown the United States government and rules a near-future New England. Offred, the narrator of the first book, belongs to the handmaids, women assigned by force to bear children for the ruling commanders. Subjugation, lost individuality and the ways women resist it run through the story. Two books are catalogued: The Handmaid's Tale (1986) and The Testaments (2019).

How many Handmaid's Tale books are there?

Handmaid's Tale has 2 books, released between 1986 and 2019.

Handmaid's Tale Books in Publication Order

The table lists all 2 Handmaid's Tale books in the order they were published, with the release year, the page count where one is on record, and how many independent book listings confirm each title. Catalogue data as of September 2026.

  1. Cover of The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood, book 1 of the Handmaid's Tale series (1986)
  2. Cover of The Testaments by Margaret Atwood, book 2 of the Handmaid's Tale series (2019)
  1. 1
    The Handmaid's Tale1986 · 311 pages · confirmed 3/4
    1986311
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  2. 2
    The Testaments2019 · 419 pages · confirmed 3/4
    2019419
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK

Is there a chronological order for Handmaid's Tale?

No separate chronological order is on record for Handmaid's Tale, because none of the book listings this catalogue draws on publishes one; the publication order above is the only order given.

Do you have to read Handmaid's Tale books in order?

You should read the Handmaid's Tale books in publication order, the order of the numbered table above. The catalogue does not record whether each Handmaid's Tale book also stands alone.

What order should you read Handmaid's Tale books in?

Read them in publication order, starting with The Handmaid's Tale (1986), the earliest published title. After it come The Testaments (2019).

What is the newest Handmaid's Tale book?

The Testaments (2019) is the newest Handmaid's Tale book released so far.

Is there a new Handmaid's Tale book coming?

No next Handmaid's Tale book is announced in the catalogue, which is a gap in the listings it merges rather than a sign that the run has ended.

Awards Handmaid's Tale has won

Wikidata records 4 awards and 7 nominations for Handmaid's Tale. Each row states whether the title won or was shortlisted, and the year the award was given.

Handmaid's Tale at a glance

No recent titles
The newest Handmaid's Tale title on record dates from 2019, 7 years ago. No later title is catalogued.
Length
730 pages across all 2 books with a recorded length, a median of 365 pages each.

What the Handmaid's Tale books are about

All 2 Handmaid's Tale books carry subject tags in Open Library's catalogue. The subjects below are the ones that recur across them, most frequent first: dystopian fiction is tagged on 2 of 2. The subjects are cataloguers’ headings, not a plot summary.

  • Dystopian fiction 2 of 2 books
  • Brothels 1 of 2 books
  • Canadian authors 1 of 2 books
  • Canadian fantasy fiction 1 of 2 books
  • Christian fundamentalism 1 of 2 books
  • Dystopias 1 of 2 books
  • Fantasy 1 of 2 books
  • Science fiction 1 of 2 books
  • Young adult fiction 1 of 2 books

More books by Margaret Atwood

The author page linked below lists every book in publication order.