Review: The Power

The Power by Naomi Alderman
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

An absolutely brilliant book.

I was put off reading The Power because I thought it'd be about women - having suddenly developed the power to give off electric shocks - going on murderous rampage against men. But, having read so many good things about it, I decided to give it an go; and I'm really glad I did.

It's not about women going on a murderous rampage at all. It's literally about power and what happens when people traditionally without power suddenly get power over those who have traditionally held it. There is a multitude of terrible things that happen to men in the book after they become the "weaker sex" and it's sickening because you realise these things are happening right now to women all over the world. Things that are allowed to happen because men are taught to believe that they must be powerful, strong, and dominant and women are taught to believe that they must be powerless, weak, and passive. OK, so it's not as clear cut as that but, in subtle ways, that's exactly what culture historically would have us think.

For me, this is a must read. If you aren't a feminist (whether you're male or female) before reading this book, you will certainly be afterwards.

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