re: #21 MsJ
I recall that in the novel of The Handmaidās Tale, thereās a metafictional epilogue, a panel of historians discussing how Offredās tapes (which form the narrative of the book) were recorded at the beginning of the Republic of Gilead and that ultimately, Gilead collapsed and a more equal society re-emerged with a restoration of full rights for women and freedom of religion. I donāt recall now if the historians stated how long Gilead lasted before it fell apart; itās been a long, long time since I read the novel.