Rate: 5/5

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Medium: Audiobook

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Overview (No Spoilers):

I have several friends who when they recommend a book that praised title skyrockets to the top of my to be read list. So when Stephanie recommended The Power a few weeks ago, with the praise that the novel had pulled on her thoughts several days after finishing, I knew it be a great read.  The Power is by no means an easy read, however it is a deeply thought provoking tale contemplating the aftermath of a sudden shift in dominance from male to female. There are some incredibly difficult scenes to read involving rape and torture, although that being said, the traditional roles have been reversed.  I couldn’t help but ponder if Alderman prepared a list of every gender based stereotype and brainstormed a way to ironically reverse those aforementioned roles throughout this novel. It has now been over a week and I still can’t stop mulling over the various aspects from this read, in particular the abrupt and open ended finale. I’ve delayed writing my review because I’m struggling with how to convey my feelings on this read, especially how much I enjoyed the concept as a whole without giving away any of the crucial plot twists.  Alderman developed several clear perspectives, each with their own complex personalities and agendas. I couldn’t help but draw connections to Margaret Atwood with regard to how The Power left me in a state of contemplation post read.  I wasn’t surprised in the least to find that Atwood had mentored Alderman. I often ponder what books from our generation will be classics and I could very easily see The Power falling into that category. Overall, this was, ignore the pun, a powerful read that I would encourage any reader to pick up based on how often I find myself pondering its riveting contents.

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Additional Insight (Spoilers Abound):