The Power - Naomi Alderman

I put this one on my list last year and then removed it. I think I read a review that made me think I wouldn’t like it... No idea why I suddenly decided to request it from the library because this is one of those books I wish I hadn’t read.

First of all this book should come with a trigger warning for brutal and descriptive rape scenes. They will literally make you want to vomit.

Two stars for the writing style, which I enjoyed, and the central plot, which in theory was really cool. The idea that women suddenly develop a power that they can use in different ways is quite awesome. I just really couldn’t understand the point of the development of the story. All people suck? Power means violence? Humans are all hellbent on dominating each other, no matter the sex? Drugs are cool? Women would use rape as a weapon as much as men if they could?

The first half of the book is mainly character development, and was actually quite interesting. The second half of the book reads more like someone’s personal sexual rape fantasy in several acts than anything else, and some of the characters who had shown so much promise in the beginning become bland and boring.

I mean, yes, humans suck, but was it necessary to create a world where women take over and recreate a world that is just as corrupt, evil, and violent as the one ruled by men?

And come on, how stereotypically American was it to make the revolution start in Saudi Arabia?

(I did get the point the author was making, just didn’t really appreciate it. Not a book for me, and I usually don’t have an issue reading about dark themes and violent events).