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The Power cover art

The Power

Written by: Naomi Alderman
Narrated by: Adjoa Andoh, Naomi Alderman, Thomas Judd, Emma Fenney, Phil Nightingale
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Publisher's Summary

2017 Winner of the Baileys Women's Prize for Fiction

'She throws her head back and pushes her chest forward and lets go a huge blast right into the centre of his body. The rivulets and streams of red scarring run across his chest and up around his throat. She'd put her hand on his heart and stopped him dead.'

Suddenly - tomorrow or the day after - girls find that with a flick of their fingers, they can inflict agonizing pain and even death.

With this single twist, the four lives at the heart of Naomi Alderman's extraordinary, visceral novel are utterly transformed, and we look at the world in an entirely new light. What if the power to hurt were in women's hands?

©2016 Naomi Alderman (P)2016 Audible, Ltd

What the critics say

"Electrifying! Shocking! Will knock your socks off! Then you'll think twice, about everything." (Margaret Atwood)
" The Power is a subtly funny, lyrical and utterly subversive vision of an impossible future. As all the best visionaries do, Alderman shines a penetrating and yet merciful light on to our present and the so many cruelties in which we may be complicit." (A. L. Kennedy)
"Alderman is a fluent and powerful writer." ( Sunday Times)

What listeners say about The Power

Average Customer Ratings
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    5 out of 5 stars

A must read piece of real feminist literature

This is a story about gender inequality that everyone can appreciate. (slight spoiler warning)
At first it seems like a bit of revenge and empowerment for the women in the story, but towards the end there safe becomes clearer: that power corrupts, no matter which gender; that men are not to be directly blamed for gender inequality because if women were the ones holding power they would act the same way. I think that this book can make women appreciate how difficult it is for men to become more egalitarian, and can make men appreciate how important it is that they do so, as well as highlighting how much further we have to go.

The book was also very well written, and the characters really came alive. The narrator was really good, although a few of the characters were made to sound quite whiny for some reason. However that wasn't for very much of the book.

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4 people found this helpful

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This book made me proud to be a woman

This book is phenomenal from start to finish. The characters are what we want to be and what we fear we are. Naomi subverts gender not as a gimmicky plot device but as a truly genius way to dismantle the patriarchy. Also, the voice acting is amazing! Bravo to Adjoa who is obviously a genius as well. I love this book!

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4 people found this helpful

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    3 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

very gritty

this was not the story I was expecting. it was much darker and grittier than I had initially thought it was going to be. I was also pretty disappointed that none of the characters are really ones I could get behind or support or care about. the writing style was also very difficult because it was so repetitive when the characters are speaking it was always then Roxy says this and Eve says that. this feels like a very rudimentary way of writing and because it was always written this way it became monotonous and boring. I think too because it's so dark and so gritty and leaves basically no hope it was a very difficult read during this period in history.

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2 people found this helpful

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Intriguing

The concept was so interesting! And the result of how power corrupts no matter which gender has it. (not a spoiler exactly) The discussion at the end from the 2 novelists was fascinating to me. I was completely caught up in the whole story. Several discussion points, gender roles, power, remaking yourself into something, the power of trauma in an individual and how it affects their lives as they grow and change. I also need to mention the narrator. One word, amazing! She really brought the characters to life. Definitely a recommendation to read/listen.

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The yelling in the narrative is HORRIBLE

I had to stop listening to this book with the characters yelling. it was quite anxiety provoking. This is the first book that I have ever had to stop reading and remove from device.

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2 people found this helpful

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Outstanding & Infuriating & Brilliant

Wow. If you love dystopia novels, gender-swapping narratives, and can handle some intense violence... go now and read this.

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1 person found this helpful

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    2 out of 5 stars
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I wanted to like the concept, but I didn't...

I had to take a break from this book for several months because the content was becoming overwhelming. The storyline is somewhat difficult to follow, and there are many disturbing scenes that didn't add much value to the book. I'm disappointed that the woman were portrayed with such violence, acting how some men act now, when they are placed in a position of power. I wish I could have liked this book because it took quite some time to get through it, but I didn't. Do not read this if you are triggered by violence and assault, there is far too much of it to enjoy this novel.

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1 person found this helpful

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the BEST book I've ingested in a loooong while.

I can't describe how much I loved this book. the writing is so engaging, and the book gets deeper and smarter as it goes. The narration, too, is exceptional. I highly recommend, and look forward to using it as part of my gender and social justice courses.

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Amazing!

Amazing amazing amazing! The story and the performance are incredible. Every woman should read this book, and for that matter, every man too!

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makes you think

This book turns gender rolls upside down and that makes it strange to listen to. But in that same vein, it shows how gender shapes our world now. Reader (voice actor) is awesome

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1 person found this helpful