The Power

Naomi Alderman

A feminist dystopian novel, written in reportage style, masquerading as re-imagined social history may sound confusing, but the ultimate message – that power corrupts, no matter which gender is in control - graphically illuminates the inequalities of own time. There is plenty of provocative debating material for book clubs here, but be aware this includes swearing, violence and brutality of an explicit sexual nature.

Extract

UrbanDox frowns, like this is the most obvious thing in the world. 'They’ll only keep the most genetically healthy of us alive. See, this is why God meant men to be the ones with the power. However bad we treat a woman – well, it’s like a slave...
See people got slavery wrong. If you have a slave, that slave’s your property, you don’t want damage to come to it. However bad any man treat a woman, he needs her in a fit condition to carry a child. But now ... one genetically perfect man can sire a thousand – five thousand - children. And what do they need the rest of us for? They’re going to kill us all.'

Parallels