The Power

The premise was really interesting and hooked me in, but this book felt like wading through mud. Barely anything happens until the last few chapters when it suddenly finds the plot, but it was too late to do it justice. As a story it lacks interest and events, and as a discussion about power it presented very narrow perspectives. I cannot recommend it for either approach. I felt there was so much potential here, for both plot and debate but neither were met in this book.

An interesting idea but felt it was limited in its characters and plot line. Surely there would have been other women who had the power who would have chosen to use it differently? I would have liked to have seen more of them and some contrast rather than all the women out to get revenge, be corrupted by or hurt men. Ultimately I found it disappointing and sad in its outcome.

I really wanted to love this book and initially I thought that it showed real promise. The author is a feminist and a lecturer (I think) and yet her effort seemed to lose momentum. I was left feeling disappointed that it didn't deliver. The storyline is interesting enough but her use of language is mundane. Certainly not in the league of The Handmaid's tale.

I was so disappointed with this book. I'd bought it for my daughter who really likes dystopian fiction, and thought the premise sounded really interesting. She only got about halfway through, so I thought I'd try it to see why. It is the bleakest, most one-dimensional book I've read in a while. None of the characters are remotely sympathetic - all the women are power-hungry, delusional or portrayed as downright crazy. If Alderman really is trying to hold up an Alice-in-Wonderland mirror to nature, it would have been far more interesting to explore different reactions to the 'power' experienced by women. As to the final 'cataclysmic even', a) the idea was developed with far more finesse in 'Cloud Atlas' and b) is the author really implying that if women ever got the chance to seize power they would cock things up so massively that they would return civilisation to the Stone Ages?

I was recommended this book, but hemmed and hawed as I don’t really like sci-fi. But on assurances I went ahead and the overall premise was interesting. And it isn’t too sci-fi(y), but I was still a little disappointed.The booked felt like it dragged on unnecessarily and I felt that any moral or learning was completely missed. Basically women are just as awful and power hungry as men, so the world’s f****d either way.