Review: The Power - Naiomi Alderman

'Our Dreams Are More True Than Our Waking'

Naiomi Alderman's new thriller, The Power, raises questions of gender and (no surprises) power and control. Although some people have found the concept more interesting than it's delivery, the book struck a chord with me in ways that more popular feminist writers, such as Atwood, never have. 

I love the literature that the Bailey's women's prize for fiction awards, because their protagonists are never simple. Adichie's Americanah, for example (which also won the prize in 2013), depicts an honest fluxuation of one woman's life between the various struggles she faces. Sometimes she makes the correct choice, and sometimes she does not. Americanah's protagonist is faulted, and realistic. This is what I enjoyed about The Power, women are by no means the victims or the heroes, they are simply the lucky ones within this narrative. 

I often find problems with a narrative that flips between different viewpoints (I got so lost in the versions of us because 3 versions was just too much for my brain to handle). But in The Power I think it was delivered well and the characters crossed paths at just the right time. Just as the plot started to plateau their worlds collided to produce an exciting climax. Tunde and Roxy were my favourites, and so a certain part of their plots crossing made me a very happy reader. I also think the variation in mediums was done excellently. Fictional artefacts, scriptures and discussions on websites reflected the variety of ways we get information in the 21st century, and so the book became a text that deals with an old age issue in a new age manner. 

Despite its many assets, the book contained some plot holes. I personally found that the penny drop moment for Mother Eve/ Ali was confusing. Her adopted mother had been abandoned by the narrative long ago, and so for her to appear at this point felt like a forced attempt at a political point. Also Alderman's attempt at cockney English was very stumbly and annoying. Roxy's family sometimes sounded like Oliver Twist with a speech impediment. 

Nonetheless, it's point about power came across well. Blogger Sunbeamsjess (who I love, for the record this is not a criticism) noted that it was lacking nuance. However I would argue that its a subject that is past the need for nuance. Trump doesn't approach the subject with subtlety, and Saudi Arabia has never been careful about the way it approaches gender roles. The power divide is one that is prominent and problematic, so to approach it with any kind of subtlety, I feel, would not do justsice to those who are affected by it. In a conversation between Roxy and Tunde the text reads:

One of them says, 'why did they do it? ...'

And the other answers, 'because they could'.

This quote which is absent of specifics summarises what the novel is saying, that gender is becoming irrelevant, and it is not who has the power that matters but the fact that power is so inherent in our societal structures. So, I am a big fan of this book, and I think that every man, woman and their dog should give it a read in order to re-evaluate their attitudes to power and discrimination.