The Power
Books | Fiction / Literary
4
(6.6K)
Naomi Alderman
In this stunning bestseller praised as "our era's Handmaid's Tale," a fierce new power has emerged—and only women have it (Washington Post). In The Power, the world is a recognizable place: there's a rich Nigerian boy who lounges around the family pool; a foster kid whose religious parents hide their true nature; an ambitious American politician; a tough London girl from a tricky family.But then a vital new force takes root and flourishes, causing their lives to converge with devastating effect. Teenage girls now have immense physical power: they can cause agonizing pain and even death. And, with this small twist of nature, the world drastically resets. From award-winning author Naomi Alderman, The Power is speculative fiction at its most ambitious and provocative, at once taking us on a thrilling journey to an alternate reality, and exposing our own world in bold and surprising ways."Captivating, fierce, and unsettling...I was riveted by every page. Alderman's prose is immersive and, well, electric." —New York Times Book Review
Science Fiction
Fantasy
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More Details:
Author
Naomi Alderman
Pages
416
Publisher
Little, Brown
Published Date
2017-10-10
ISBN
0316547654 9780316547659
Ratings
Google: 5
Community ReviewsSee all
"Gender privilege turned on its head, women now have the upper hand in society and are a danger to men. Does power always have to breed violence? Is dominance inevitable or is coexistence possible?"
C
CaitVD
"When I saw this book in Booklist, I immediately placed it on my to-read list. The notion of women having power (literal electric power) was appealing. The story started out strongly, with all the societal challenges that accompany huge cultural and societal upheavals and a world in which a male-dominated social order is now a female-dominated social order. The story itself did not leave me as electrified (um, sorry) as I hoped. That said, the author includes correspondence with a colleague at the start. By the end of the book, the correspondence turns my expectations as a reader upside-down. The last lines in the last letter were a pay-off."
"4.25 stars<br/><br/>This was a buddy read with me and my mom (well my mom read the whole book roughly a week before I finished it but whatever) and it's the first one we've had since I was in eighth grade and had to read the Book Thief. Anyway, this standalone dystopian novel is honestly remarkable. The pacing is genius, with a general idea and level of violence throughout but only a select few scenes that are explicitly, disgustingly detailed, and the last fifty pages or so I could feel my heart rate increasing with the anticipation of how it would all end. <br/><br/>All the different points of view were incredibly told, each with their own voice separate from any of the others, and the discussions that are brought up throughout - especially about religion and its impacts - are discussions that are needed today, six years after it came out. I also still cannot believe this book wasn't over 400 pages, much less under - at 381 pages, and I think it takes a specific type of writer to pull off not just a standalone but a relatively shorter one at that, considering the themes and events explored. <br/><br/>I hope more people read this book - even if it is because of the tv show (which I'll be starting soon). Thank you for this intensely written book!"
"“The shape of power is always the same; it is the shape of a tree... branching and re-branching, spreading wider in ever-thinner, searching fingers... the power seeking outward.” This book is both hard to put down and unforgettable. It’s often gruesome and cruel... but in this future world imagined by Alderman, women are the dominant gender and the injustices that have happened in our global history repeat themselves again with men as the victims. My favorite part was the last 7 pages... one more unexpected twist to leave us on the final page shaking our heads. "
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