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Original poster

The Power - does it get better ?

35 replies

mstrotwood · 05/01/2018 20:34

I read the first 50 pages of The Power by Naomi Alderman last night and fail to see what all the hype is about. I like the idea a lot but am so far not very impressed by the way it's written.

Does it get better or change drastically ? Or is there any other reason why I should read on ?

OP posts:
GlitterFart · 05/01/2018 20:36

I read it on holiday this year and found it very meh, can’t see what all the hype is about at all.

Rainboho · 05/01/2018 20:37

I only managed the first half of the book. And I rarely fail to finish a book. It wasn’t because it was too complex or I didn’t grasp the themes - I have a literature MA! I just didn’t really care much about the characters and found it a bit contrived.

Original poster
mstrotwood · 05/01/2018 20:41

I am relieved that I'm not the only one. Sometimes when a book is so hyped you start doubting yourself when you fail to see why.

I just didn’t really care much about the characters and found it a bit contrived.

Agree completely. And I found some of the plot developments too predictable to keep my interest.

OP posts:
SophoclesTheFox · 05/01/2018 20:44

Yes, it didn't grab me either. I had really high hopes as it was hyped as a great feminist read, but I didn't find it very insightful and all the god stuff turned me right off.

BobbinThreadbare123 · 05/01/2018 20:44

Nah. It's boring. Such a good premise and a decent start, but the writing was a bit weird. I was disappointed.

MarshaBradyo · 05/01/2018 20:46

I couldn’t get past few pages, really disliked it

FiveGoMadInDorset · 05/01/2018 20:48

Its on my to read pile, hall I just give it to the charity shop now? Grin

AnneLovesGilbert · 05/01/2018 20:50

Oh no! I got it for Christmas and it’s next on my list to read. I was really looking forward to it.

Anyone enjoy it?

Solasum · 05/01/2018 20:50

I have just finished it. I am quite a fan of dystopian fiction, but this just really didn’t work for me. I didn’t like any of the characters, apart from the photographer, and it all felt forced. Shame, as it felt like an idea that could go somewhere interesting. I suspect it may work better as a film with lots of special effects than as a book.

Original poster
mstrotwood · 05/01/2018 20:57

I had really high hopes as it was hyped as a great feminist read

Yes yes me too. I was really disappointed when I got a few pages in and realised that it wasn't that great.

all the god stuff turned me right off

and the voice turned me right off more than anything else, it didn't convince at all.

OP posts:
AnneLovesGilbert · 05/01/2018 21:21

Bugger.

TooMinty · 05/01/2018 21:39

Read The Bees by Laline Paull instead, it's a great book

Pippin8 · 05/01/2018 21:41

I got this to read on my summer holiday as recommended by a poster on here.
It was hailed as good as the handmaids tale. I did read the whole book as I was a captive audience. I thought it was pure bilge & a waste of money.

Fretnworry · 05/01/2018 23:08

I don't think it does get better, sorry. I was most disappointed. Found it tedious and predictable.

IamLucyBarton · 05/01/2018 23:17

Agree completely. I am half way through since september. I won't finish it. I'll just read the end unless someone cares to spoil it here ahaha

AKAmyself · 06/01/2018 16:58

I read it until the end but boy was it a slog! I found the first 4/5 really boring and pedestrian, the last 1/5 shockingly (and unnecessarily) violent. I had nightmares afterwards so I would say at least it was effective, but overall it made me really really angry.

I think the point Is to illustrate how male privilege works and how it self reinforces but it is just too easy to read it as “women are exactly as bad as men”, which I intrinsically disagree with.

AKAmyself · 06/01/2018 17:03

solasum yes, the only good, fleshed out character was the photographer ie the one male. Which of course makes sense in a “meta” reading as this is a book supposedly written by a man etc etc but it just pissed me right off: It takes peculiar skill To write a work of “feminist” fiction without a single decent female character! (Never mind that feminist here is simply a marketing label as the whole thing is about as feminist as can of baked beans)

Fairylea · 06/01/2018 17:08

I gave up a third in!

KickAssAngel · 06/01/2018 17:16

Oh, no. I have just bought this - full price, hard back! Luckily I used a gift certificate, but I read the first couple of pages in the store and wanted to read more. the premise sounded interesting and it's endorsed by Margaret Atwood.

It's literally sitting on the coffee table for me to enjoy (or not) this afternoon!

Invisimamma · 06/01/2018 17:18

I liked it, I thought it was fairly intense and a captive read.

Not amazing, and I probably wouldn’t read it again but I did enjoy it at the time.

FucksBizz · 06/01/2018 17:19

I found it very dull. Great concept, very poorly executed.

Glowerglass · 06/01/2018 17:22

No it doesn't it's pish. Very juvenile and utterly lacking in subtletly. Would be a reasonable YA book I suppose.

KickAssAngel · 06/01/2018 17:27

Well, I read loads of YA (I teach that age group) and studied YA fem lit for my MA, so maybe I'll appreciate it to some degree.

Thankfully, I still have some other book vouchers and can get a Zadie Smith book as well.

ladyballs · 06/01/2018 17:34

There were a few pages at the end that made me laugh. Otherwise no.

Another vote here for The Bees. I absolutely love it.

lifechangesforeverinjuly · 06/01/2018 17:40

No it doesn't, I preserved and wish I'd not bothered