POWER BY NAOMI ALDERMAN | BOOK REVIEW | JULY 2017

THE POWER BY NAOMI ALDERMAN | BOOK REVIEW

I was drawn to this book not only because it was the winner of the Bailey's Women's Price for Fiction 2017, but it's theme of feminism and sci-fi entwined together. Alderman used the power of women and females with the deadly force of electricity in their veins, to metaphorically describe the power of women and what they can do in society. I was very interested in this book, to be honest mainly because of it's feminist story lines. Alderman uses a variety of characters with different personalities, all strong characters with strong opinions and ideas, also with having different backgrounds.

The main character of Allie, holds more of a spiritual role in the novel, where Alderman also adds in the role of religion, mainly Christianity. Which I know added to the context of the novel, that most religions are created by men, but I didn't find it that effective to the role of women and the force they had obtained with their scientific power. Alderman also touches on the abuse that girls and young women face and the danger they face in society, for e.g. rape is touched on with the main character of Allie. Roxy, an English girl who witnesses the death of her mother by a gang of men that her Dad is involved with. She faces the power struggle between men and women the most, with her manipulative father and his men that go against her, and Alderman highlights the deception of people in that way. This novel should definitely be read by young girls, that are looking for inspiration or motivation for the power of being a female. 

There are also diagrams within the pages that help to add context to the religious and spiritual side of the novel, it was also relatively easy and quick to read also. There was a male character; Tunde, he witnesses the danger that men face now women are in control, from rape and physical assault, reversing the danger on to  different gender. The laws and power in Eastern Europe is passed over to a woman, which turns in to a kind of totalitarian state, and changes her laws to very matriarchal oppressive rules from no man can go out without a female owner/guardian, and every man should be assigned to a female guardian. These laws can be seen as similar to the ones of Middle Eastern countries made towards females, and I think Alderman dictates this power overthrow fantastically because of the different characters recognising the downfall of power within a leader, as the female leader kills herself at the end. 

This novel, as good at it is with the Women's Prize for Fiction, definitely deserves the recognition from feminist readers and writers.