The Power by Naomi Alderman

If women had power - physical power, the power to zap someone with a bolt of electricity generated from their own body how would the dynamics between the sexes change?  This happens suddenly, one day young women/girls are able to zap someone, their power emerging with their nascent sexuality.  They are able to ignite it in older women through touch.  Dynamics change, women turn against their oppressors, sexual, religious, physical and life for men is no longer the same.  Drugs are developed that enhances the power and porn created to fetishise it.  

Through the lives of various characters, Allie, the abused America foster child who reinvents herself as Mother Eve, seeking to develop a community away from men, who joins forces with Roxy the daughter of a London crime boss,  Tunde a Nigerian journalist reporting on the global changes taking place, and discovering what it's like to be an attractive young man in a woman's world.  And Margot the middle aged politician who sees that power comes from strength not authority, and now she has that strength.

It's a bleak book - the descriptions of sexual violence are horrifying, the abuse of power as with men depraved.  Are we (women) just going to succumb to the same power imbalance as men, would we really?  The book did engender a good discussion about the nature of power, is it just physical or can we achieve power in other ways.  

Words used to describe it:  thought provoking, unlike-ably interesting, harsh, 

Marks out of 10 - a consistent 7

Next Book

Strumpet City  by James Plunkett

Next Meeting

Friday 14th July venue either Carolyn or Mandy  TBC