Reviews with content warning for Transphobia - The Power

This was a pretty good dystopian-style science fiction book. I do think it targets the same demographic of people who enjoyed The Handmaid's Tale. It does a great job of demonstrating how the oppressed are not without the ability to become the oppressors. While I do not think it is inevitable that they would, I appreciate the look into how we see the worst come out in those who are in charge, no matter how much it seems like they would never act that way. The only major qualm I have with this is the same as we are used to seeing in this style of feminist literature, it is a little trans-exclusionary which was unnecessary. Otherwise, it definitely made me think and was a very intriguing style of book.

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blumoonie's review

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dark emotional reflective tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

this is the kind of book that starts in a benignly soft manner, only to grow more and more twisted, with frightening speed. it is an exploration of identity, morals, and systemic imbalance; it cleverly addresses many current issues by flipping them on their head. the depiction of multiple perspectives didn't frustrate me like it normally does, and having all our protagonists influencing each other even when far out of sight was absolutely gripping. even the letters at each end of the story tell a deeply interesting story.

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obfuscatress's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

Riveting. Electric. I cannot remember the last time I read so much in such a short time span. Meeting somewhere between fantasy, an allegory, and an astute critique of how we form our notions of sex and gender, this story expands into so many directions all at once.

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alisiakae's review against another edition

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dark slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

The Power is an engaging story that definitely makes you think, and provides a lot to discuss with others. That's why it gets 3 stars. The story revolves around the theme of power: who has it, and how do they wield it?

However, there were too many things about this story that bothered me. The gender binary for one, and the complete erasure of people who are trans, non-binary, genderqueer, etc. They were completely ignored in this world apart from some references to people with "chromosomal abnormalities" (why can't she just use the word intersex?). In fact, many of the discussions of gender in the novel seem to fall back on transphobic gender discourse and conflation of gender and biological sex.

I also take issue with a white, non-Muslim author using the "liberation" of Saudi Arabian women as a plot device. It felt very much like a Western perspective applied to a culture that is not the author's own.

Overall, I'm glad I read it, but I was really hoping for more.

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neevechristine's review

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adventurous dark sad fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

A real thinker, beautifully written. Heart wrenching in parts

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gracekatreads's review

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challenging dark fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? Yes

2.75

While the first half of this book and the premise are really strong and thoughtful, the analysis of gender and it’s affects in the second half is poorly thought out—the overall effect ends up being very gender essentialist and conservative. Scenes of graphic sexual violence are unnecessary and in detail every time.

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