The Power - does it get better ?

[mstrotwood]

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 ?

It is quite annoying when books so heavily promoted turns out so crappish and then real gem sit in the corner and get hardly mentioned.

Often a good way to chose books is not to go with the bookshop display but to read reviews in (proper) newspapers or literary magazine.

I also found it deeply unconvincing, with weak characterisation and schlocky plotting.

I liked it! I think power corrupts so I can imagine women (or myself at least) going a bit nuts with it all if the tables turned. I'd bloody love to be able to zap people

I'm reading it at the moment and I'm finding the style of writing very juvenile. Such a shame because the premise of the book has great potential.

Saying it's like the Handmaid's Tale is like comparing a fish finger to an oyster.

Well, I really loved it. I will read it again for sure.

Pure escapism from our male dominated world, and great concept that I thought was really thought provoking. I can see I'm in a minority!

I like sci-fi /concept books, Margaret Atwood etc

The thing is, the reviews are very good!

I'm (I hope!) almost through listening to it as an audiobook.The concept is ok,but it's not exactly novel - and I agree with AKAmyself ,it's coming over to me now as " women are just as bad as men".Though I do think that,possibly -or at least I don't think a world where women had the power would be all sweetness and light.The book has made me,as a longstanding feminist, think "well,if that's the result of the power balance between men and women being altered ,what on earth is the point?"
I doubt that's what the author was aiming for...
But perhaps if you had never thought at all about the effect of the imbalance of physical power and gender relations it might be more of an eye opener?

I read the whole thing which was a waste of time. Good idea but poorly executed.

Kinda gets better, but all a bit handmaids tale copy ending for me. Then read the afterword and saw attwood and just kept thinking she would have done a better job of it.
Meh. Had high hopes for it

I’ve never even heard of it but the Bees book mentioned is great!