The Power by Naomi Alderman

Title: The Power
Author: Naomi Alderman
Publisher: Little, Brown and Company
Genre: Science Fiction, Dystopian Fiction
Year of Publication: 2017
Date of Publication: October 10, 2017
Pages: 400
ISBN-10: 0316547611
ISBN-13: 978-0316547611

Summary of The Power by Naomi Alderman

The Power is a dystopian novel that examines the dynamics of power and gender. 

The story is set in a world where women develop the ability to emit electric shocks from their bodies, shifting societal power structures. 

The novel follows multiple characters as they navigate this transformed world. It is a science fiction novel that is told from the perspective of four characters. We have Roxy Monke, Tunde Edo, Allie Montgomery-Taylor (Mother Eve) and Margot Cleary-Lopez.

Roxy is tough and a resourceful young woman from a British crime family. She uses her power to take over her family’s crime business.

Tunde Edo is a Nigerian journalist. At the start, he is in college and is one of the first people to start noticing this power shift. He notices that women are using, controlling, and manipulating the power, and so he starts documenting the global impact. As the novel progresses, he becomes the go to person for all things power-related. He later becomes a journalist documenting everything he finds.

Allie is a runaway girl who reinvents herself as Mother Eve, a religious leader. She uses her power to escape her abusive foster parents.

Margot is a rising American politician. She uses her power to climb the political ladder and further her career.

There are also other supporting characters including Jos Cleary-Lopez , Margot’s daughter, who struggles with her own abilities and Tatiana Moskalev, the wife of a Russian dictator who seizes control using her power.

Main Themes

The novel is about the nature of power and its corrupting influence. 

By flipping traditional gender roles, Alderman examines how society might react to a dramatic shift in who holds authority. 

Themes of revolution, justice, and the complexities of morality are woven throughout the narrative, challenging readers to reconsider their assumptions about gender and power.

Writing Style

Naomi Alderman tells the story from different points of view.  She mixes imaginative ideas with real human emotions, making the book exciting and a little unsettling.

Alderman does an excellent job in the world building. The book zoned in on really minute things and at the same time broader things that this power change would bring including religion.

Her writing also gives you a fair amount of time with each character.

Impact of The Power

The Power sparks discussions about gender dynamics, the ethics of power, and the potential for systemic change. 

Its narrative challenges conventional perspectives on authority and equality.

What are your thoughts on this book? Have you had a chance to read it? Let us know in the comments!