A review by alisiakae
The Power by Naomi Alderman

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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