Sarguzasht-i nadīmah: Persian 1401

The novel, narrated by Offred, alternates between text describing her present life and expository sections in which she recalls her past. Offred’s recollections reveal that she was the daughter of a feminist activist who had chosen to be a single mother. Before the advent of the theocratic government, the protagonist attended university and had a close friend named Moira. Offred became involved with a married man, Luke, and eventually she and Luke wed and had a daughter. Following a military coup in which the president and most members of Congress were killed, the country became the Republic of Gilead. One day the protagonist was fired from her job at the library because women were no longer permitted to work. That evening she learned that women were also not allowed to have money, and her bank account had been transferred to Luke. Eventually, Luke, the protagonist, and their daughter tried to flee to Canada but were caught, and she was sent to a reeducation centre for indoctrination in preparation for becoming a Handmaid. Moira was also at the reeducation centre, but she escaped.