The Power by Naomi Alderman

Overview:

This book has a pretty straightforward plot line: girls and women discover they have the power to wield and conduct

electricity. This ability quickly establishes women as the superior gender causing/creating an entirely new world.

My Thoughts:

I wasn’t sure what to make of this book at first. The writing style took a bit of getting used to but the concept of the book was so strange and unique that I continued reading. 

The story follows different girls and how this new power affects their lives. In doing so, the author manages to depict how such a thing would affect politics, religion, and everyday life. 

As a woman, the idea of women being the superior gender intrigued me. Not because I think women should be the superior gender, but because it’s interesting to think about what the world would be like. For example, in this book women don’t have to worry about going out alone at night or have to fear standing up to men. Not to say that women should fear such things or that we can’t defend ourselves but these are fears that exist with women. On the topic of gender, the author makes some very good points. This book makes you think about the society we live in today and how gender roles play a part.

Something to note about this book is the graphic material. It’s not extremely graphic or anything but it was just a little more than I’m used to coming from mostly reading YA novels. Also I’m a wimp when it comes to anything gory or painful so maybe that has something to do with it. Just be aware that there may be some material that may not be suitable for all ages.

Overall, I liked this novel and I’m glad I gave it a chance. I classify this book as an: Good. If you find the concept for this book interesting, give it a read and see how you like it. At the very least, you’ll get a thought provoking story.