[ClearCase_guy]

I had to read this wretched book years ago.

My recollection is that the world was left with very few women (somehow). Due to this shortage, the future of the human race was in jeopardy. With women so scarce, they were of vital importance —

And so: Women were treated as property, like slaves. They were given no respect or consideration. Men ruled and did as they liked.

And I was thinking: This makes no sense.

[Boogieman]

Yep, it makes no sense at all. If women were so scarce, they would have ALL the power in society. It would be a matriarchy where men would be expendable slaves to provide for all the needs of the women.

[Mr. Douglas]

It wasn’t that women were scarce. It was that fertile women were scarce. And it appeared to be only the US.

But yeah, it really was not a very good book.

[Former Proud Canadian]

Wretched? Margaret Atwood is celebrated in Canada as a grand dame of English literature.

Her novels are almost unreadable but most are afraid to say so.

[JoeFromSidney]

And so: Women were treated as property, like slaves. They were given no respect or consideration. Men ruled and did as they liked.

And I was thinking: This makes no sense.

In Robert Heinlein's novel THE MOON IS A HARSH MISTRESS, the shortage of women on the Moon has exactly the result any free-market economist would expect: they are highly valued. Margaret Atwood was an idiot.

[Harmless Teddy Bear]

Yep.

If there is a limited number of females you have men competing for them.

Even women who are not yours may produce an offspring that your son may marry so it is best to stay on their good side.