The Handmaid's Tale
Book2 list appearances
The Handmaid's Tale is a futuristic dystopian novel by Canadian author Margaret Atwood published in 1985. It is set in a near-future New England in a patriarchal, totalitarian theonomic state known as the Republic of Gilead, which has overthrown the United States government. The protagonist, a woman named Offred, occupies the role of a "Handmaid": women who are forcibly assigned to bear children for high status men.
1-Tap Primary Ranking Ballot
Overview#1 Full List
Does The Handmaid's Tale deserve the #1 spot on “Top 10 Greatest Books by Female Authors”?
#1 The Handmaid's Tale?
Verified Entity DossierRanked #1 in Top 10 Greatest Books by Female Authors
Best Rank
#1
top 3 in 1 list
Avg Position
#4
across 2 lists
Community
Divisive Pick
ranked #1 to #7
Most divisive on “10 Science Fiction Novels That Rewrote the Rules of the Genre” — ranked #7 there
Community Weigh-In & Debate
Should The Handmaid's Tale rank Top 3 in Greatest Books by Female Authors?
Ranked #1 on "Top 10 Greatest Books by Female Authors". Cast your vote to back or challenge this spot.
Be the first to vote on this ranking.
Most Argued About
“10 Science Fiction Novels That Rewrote the Rules of the Genre”
Ranks as high as #1 on some lists — but only #7 here. Fans are divided.
See the debate →The Internet's Surprise Pick
“Top 10 Greatest Books by Female Authors”
Climbed to #1 — a narrowly contested win.
See the full ranking →Frequently Asked Questions
What is The Handmaid's Tale's highest community ranking?⌄
The Handmaid's Tale is ranked #1 on "Top 10 Greatest Books by Female Authors" — its best placement across 2 lists on top10grid.com.
How many top-10 lists feature The Handmaid's Tale?⌄
The Handmaid's Tale appears in 2 lists on top10grid.com, spanning categories including ENTERTAINMENT.
Is The Handmaid's Tale a controversial ranking?⌄
Yes — community opinion on The Handmaid's Tale varies widely. It ranks as high as #1 on some lists and as low as #7 on others, a spread of 6 positions, making it one of the more debated picks on top10grid.com.
What the internet says
Appears in 2 lists Divisive Pick
Frequently Ranked Alongside The Handmaid's Tale
More Media Lists
6
Top 10 Best Books About Technology and the Future
10 items
Top 10 Taiwanese Manhua and Comics in 2026
10 items
Most Popular Project Gutenberg Downloads — September 2026 (Top 10 Classic Books)
10 items
Lives Worth Reading: Biographies That Actually Captivate
10 items
Top 10 Relationship Books That Couples Therapists Actually Assign
10 items
Top 10 Most Banned and Challenged Books in History
10 items