“How did the war creep up? How did it gather itself together? What was it made from? What secrets, lies, betrayals? What loves and hatreds? What sums of money, what metals?”

Canadian novelist and poet of the late 20th and early 21st centuries, she is best known for her dystopian fiction, particularly *The Handmaid’s Tale*, which explores themes of oppression, resistance, and the fragility of power. Her work also spans speculative fiction, literary criticism, and environmental commentary, often blending sharp social observation with poetic precision.