by is a bestselling 2016 sci-fi novel imagining a world where women begin to develop the ability to release electrical energy from their hands, and how this power flips societal gender dynamics. Widely lauded by critics and audiences alike, the novel won the Baileys Women’s Prize for Fiction and won a place among former president . And now, a new legion of fans are about to discover the world of The Power.
After a number of years in development, the television series adaptation will finally be hitting Amazon Prime Video on March 31. In preparation for the show’s premiere, here’s everything you need to know about The Power.
What is The Power about?
In an alternate world, teenage girls around the globe simultaneously develop the power to emit electricity from their fingertips. As girls everywhere start using their powers in self-defense, they gradually begin to injure men and boys, both accidentally and deliberately. Society descends into fear and chaos as gender and power dynamics are dramatically shifted, affecting individuals as well as communities at large.
The story has received widespread critical acclaim, praised for its nuanced exploration of the intersections of gender and power, as well as additional themes such as race, religion, and politics. The Power forces listeners to consider: What if parents had to warn their sons to make sure to be home before dark? What if women took advantage of power imbalances to silence and suppress men? What if men had to live in constant fear of coming to harm by an angry woman?
Adding even more dimension to the story is its structure. Told as a novel within a novel, The Power is framed as a work of historical fiction submitted to an influential female author by a male writer named Neil Adam Armon (an anagram of Naomi Alderman), imagining how the matriarchal society he lives in came to be.
In The Power, we follow a handful of different characters, hearing how people of various backgrounds throughout different parts of the world respond and change as a result of the rise of supernaturally-abled women. Expertly narrated by Adjoa Andoh, who brings each distinct character to life, the audiobook effectively captures Alderman’s world, highlighting the individual voices of people navigating the emotional turmoil occurring throughout the planet.
