Reviews tagging 'Islamophobia'

The Power by Naomi Alderman

3 reviews

annir's review against another edition

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

4.75

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laura_abbott's review

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This book is extremely disappointing from an intersectionally feminist point of view. Two things really bothered my partner and I about this book:
  • Non-western cultures are portrayed in a very overly-simplified, stereotyped ways. It is very clear that the book was not passed by any kind of sensitivity reader, as no non-western women were given a voice at all-- these countries and cultures are all described through the perspective of a man. All non-white cultures are described as oppressive and conservative, without any nuance or depth given to the characters in western cultures. 
  • The book is a violent revenge fantasy-- which, if it acknowledged itself as such, might actually have an inkling of the empowerment it purports to provide. Instead, it simply reverses the oppressive direction of the gender binary in an utterly pointless, violent way. This, according to the author herself, was apparently the goal of the book (in order to illustrate what a dystopian world we live in-- as if we didn't know). Instead the author's radical portrayal illustrates her alarmingly limited understanding of feminist theory-- let alone intersectional feminism-- and willingness to throw away decades of work feminists have spent disabusing people of the mistaken notion that feminism is about establishing a matriarchy. The fact the author believes a future run by a violent and oppressive matriarchy would be 'empowering' for women is sick.
  • Finally, I just can't buy into the level of extreme decision-making the author depicts in the book. She writes all characters as if they are secretly waiting for the opportunity to hurt another, just for the fun of it. She then escalates this predatory mentality to the scale of nations. It's not only a perverted depiction of women, it's a perverted depiction of humanity as a whole.
The fact this book is being hailed as a feminist landmark is extremely problematic, and I am tremendously disappointed in the response this book has received.



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thevietvegan's review

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adventurous challenging dark tense fast-paced
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

I started reading this book after procrastinating starting it, and yall IT STARTS WITH A BANG. Immediately hooked in.

I really enjoyed following Roxy, Allie and Tunde's storylines, really couldn't care less about Margot. I found her motives were shit, her emotional manipulation was shit, and her general character just was frustrating. I understand that women like her exist haha. And from what I can tell, that's the same type of mindset that propelled the
reverse matriarchy that happens in the end.

Maybe I just have more faith in humanity but I struggle to believe that we'd completely turn the extremes of the patriarchy around to be a mirror version in matriarchy. 

I really struggle to see how anyone could justify (specifically in this new era where we already are aware of historical and current day atrocities) genital mutilation, extremely culling men's rights to mirror Saudi Arabia's women's rights in Bessapara, and that women-led states would nuke themselves into oblivion. I JUST DON'T SEE IT.

Roxy's storyline felt so anticlimactic to me, and so sad. Despite the fact that she is like a drug lord, I was really invested in hee success lol. I don't know why.

Mother Eve/Allie's storyline took such a turn that it felt out of character for her, but I guess she was manipulating people from start to finish anyway so I shouldn't be surprised.

I just think the whole Cataclysm was ridiculous and I don't understand why anyone thinks bombing countries into oblivion is helpful to anyone.

Also the end email messages between 'Neil' and 'Naomi' were really clever ways of relaying the culture of the new world. It is gross to see current patriarchy mirror displayed so overly as their matriarchy. 

I was excited for a compassionate utopia because I do believe humanity when we work together is beautiful and peaceful, but this story implies that women will get drunk on power and I think that's just a bummer lol.
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