This book is a horrifying prediction of a society wracked by war and infertility. When men can't have sons and women can't be mothers people stop being human. In this future reproductive women are herded like cattle and retrained to fulfill their biblical role. To breed. A woman is abducted from her life, retrained to allow her body to be raped and used to give a general the son he "needs." Our protagonist suffers the pain of seeing her own child living with a wealthy family after she is forced into sexual slavery. The protagonist falls in with a rebellion faction, however never really does much with this. This story isn't one of rebellion but one of how women are used and are ultimately replaceable. She is taught latin by her captor general, only to discover the last handmaiden was also used in this manner. She falls under the sights of the treacherous wife who in desperation forces her to sleep with a virile guard. This is a crime punishable by death to a handmaiden. The book ends with our protagonist being taken away. It is a strange ending with no definite thesis. What happened? Does she live? Is she pregnant? It's a wonderful book that asks more questions than offers answers.