What to read, watch, and listen to if you lovedThe Handmaiden
Film · 2016
If you loved The Handmaiden, start with Fingersmith (Sarah Waters, 2002) — a book from the same story. Below: 4 books, 3 series and 2 podcasts, each matched to The Handmaiden across media.
You were captivated by The Handmaiden because of its intricate power plays, shifting identities, and the delicious tension of hidden agendas.
Start with the source
Adaptation
Fingersmith
Aisling Walsh · Series · 2005
Books on the same thread
The Handmaid's Tale
Margaret Atwood · Book · 2017
Explores: Totalitarianism, Religious Extremism, Gender Inequality.
If the layered manipulation in The Handmaiden kept you hooked, this story offers a similarly harrowing look at how individuals navigate rigid systems of control and systemic oppression.
The Housemaid
Freida McFadden · Book · 2022
Explores: unreliable narrator, gaslighting, hidden agendas.
Fans of The Handmaiden will appreciate the domestic claustrophobia and psychological games here, where the lines between servant and master blur through constant gaslighting and hidden motives.
The Girl on the Train
Paula Hawkins · Book · 2015
Shares a thread with The Handmaiden: Psychological Thriller.
Much like the unreliable perspectives found in The Handmaiden, this thriller forces you to question the truth as memory and deceit collide in a complex, shifting narrative.
The Help
Kathryn Stockett · Book · 2009
Explores: Race Relations, Civil Rights Movement, Female Friendship.
The Handmaiden excels at exploring the rigid social hierarchies of the past, a theme mirrored here as women navigate the restrictive class and racial boundaries of the era.
Series on the same thread
The Handmaid's Tale
Bruce Miller · Series · 2017
Explores: Oppression, Totalitarianism, Religious Extremism.
Those drawn to the intense power dynamics and survival instincts in The Handmaiden will recognize the same struggle for autonomy against a regime that treats women as property.
Fingersmith
Aisling Walsh · Series · 2005
Shares a thread with The Handmaiden: Psychological Thriller.
Since this is the narrative foundation of The Handmaiden, you will find the same exquisite tension between a pickpocketing maid and her secluded, wealthy target perfectly executed.
The Penthouse
Kim Soon-ok · Series · 2020
Explores: Social Climbing, Wealth and Power, Obsession.
The Handmaiden thrives on high-stakes obsession and social climbing, traits that define this drama where characters transform into monsters to secure their place within a ruthless elite.
Podcasts on the same thread
Criminal
Vox Media Podcast Network · Podcast · 2026
Explores: moral ambiguity, social justice, human behavior.
If you loved the moral ambiguity of The Handmaiden, this investigative series provides a fascinating, real-world look at the complexities of human behavior and those caught in between.
1619
The New York Times · Podcast · 2019
Explores: systemic racism, national identity, legacy of slavery.
Much like the historical weight behind The Handmaiden, this series deconstructs the foundational power structures and systemic identities that continue to shape our modern societal landscape today.
Keep exploring
Common questions
Is The Handmaiden based on a book?
Yes, The Handmaiden is a cinematic adaptation of the 2002 novel Fingersmith by Sarah Waters. While the film relocates the setting to 1930s Korea during the Japanese occupation, the core narrative structure and the complex relationship between the maid and the heiress originate from this source material.
Should I watch the 2005 Fingersmith adaptation if I loved The Handmaiden?
If you enjoyed the plot of The Handmaiden, the 2005 television adaptation of Fingersmith is a worthwhile watch. It covers the same source material as the film, allowing you to compare how the narrative is presented in a different format and setting while maintaining the original story's suspense.
What is the relationship between Sookee and Hideko in The Handmaiden?
In The Handmaiden, Sookee is a pickpocket hired to serve as a handmaiden to the Japanese heiress Hideko. While Sookee is initially part of a swindler's plan to steal Hideko's fortune, their relationship evolves significantly as the maid's hidden agenda complicates their dynamic within the secluded countryside estate.
Does The Handmaiden take place during a specific historical period?
The Handmaiden is set during the 1930s in Korea. This specific era is defined by the Japanese occupation, which serves as the backdrop for the power struggles and the secluded life Hideko leads under the control of her domineering uncle, Kouzuki, within their large countryside estate.