44 Must-See Literary Landmarks in the United Kingdom

20. The Dystopian Echoes of Margaret Atwood’s Yorkshire

While Margaret Atwood is Canadian, Yorkshire’s rolling hills and moody skies played a crucial role in shaping The Handmaid’s Tale. Atwood spent time in North Yorkshire in the 1960s, and its history of religious dissent and puritanical rule subtly influenced her chilling vision of Gilead. The York Minster, with its imposing gothic architecture, and the moors of the North York National Park, where whispers of control and rebellion seem to linger, make for a fascinating literary excursion.