Dystopian fiction at it’s best, The Power illuminates inequality and opens up vistas of possibility for the world as we know it is thrown on its head. Named as Barack Obama’s 2017 book of the year, author Naomi Alderman writes a page-turning fiction novel exploring the rise to power of females across the world.
A phenomenon descends across countries: those in society that were previously victims begin to revolt, and the movement of the momentum begins to take hold of armies, religions and politicians. Alderman follows the lives of four main characters in gripping chapters alternating between their individual journeys having gained ‘the power’. Allie, a foster child from a small-town America, follows a path that leads her to gain a religious following. Her journey intertwines with Roxy, the daughter of a London crime boss who encapsulates East London values. Tunde is a Nigerian journalist reporting on seismic global change and discovering what it’s like to be an attractive young man in a woman’s world; while Margot, an American politician on the rise, comes to see that power resides with strength rather than authority.
The novel is a thriller yet is filled with thought provoking prose and meditations on the metaphysics of power, change and possibility.
Review and original artwork by Ms Golan
Teacher of English
