The Power

Content Warning: This section of the guide contains discussion of addiction and substance use.

Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

1. What aspects of the premise that power corrupts, regardless of gender, did you find most convincing or problematic in The Power?

2. The Power shares themes with Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale, which Alderman acknowledges as an influence. What similarities and differences do you notice between these works in their treatment of gender dynamics?

3. The novel employs a frame narrative presenting the story as historical fiction written 5,000 years in the future, similar to how both Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale and George Orwell’s 1984 include appendices suggesting a world beyond the dystopia. Did this structure enhance your understanding of the power dynamics at play?

Encourage readers to connect the book’s themes and characters with their personal experiences.

1. If you suddenly discovered you had the power of the skein, what would your initial and long-term reactions be?

2. Which character’s journey resonated with you most strongly and why?

3. When have you witnessed or experienced power changing someone’s behavior or perspective? How did their newfound abilities or authority influence them?

4. What qualities in Roxy and Tunde’s relationship mirror or differ from the healthy relationships you’ve experienced personally, and why do you think their connection succeeds where others in the novel fail?

5. Mother Eve creates a revisionist theology that recenters Christianity around women. In what ways does this aspect of the novel intersect with your understanding of religious traditions?

6. Describe a situation where an inherent advantage significantly affected your relationships with others.

Examine the book’s relevance to societal issues, historical events, or cultural themes.

1. What connections do you see between the novel’s exploration of power dynamics and contemporary gender issues in our society?

2. In what ways do the fictional responses to women gaining power in different countries mirror real-world cultural approaches to gender equality?

3. Bessapara evolves from a liberation movement to an oppressive regime that mirrors patriarchal systems. What historical parallels that fit this pattern can you draw? Do real-world revolutionary movements tend to follow this trajectory?

Dive into the book’s structure, characters, themes, and symbolism.

1. What effect does the novel’s countdown structure have on the pacing and your sense of inevitability about the outcome?

2. Consider the symbolic significance of the skein’s location along the collarbone rather than another part of the body.

3. In what ways does glitter function as both a literal plot device and a metaphor for addiction to power throughout the narrative? How does its metaphorical meaning change as the novel goes on?

4. The book is presented as written by Neil Adam Armon in a female-dominated future. What does this framing device add to the novel’s exploration of gender and power?

5. How does Roxy change after losing her skein? How does her transformation contribute to the novel’s overall message about the relationship between physical power and moral strength?

6. The multiple narrative perspectives give us different windows into the changing world. What unique insights does each character’s viewpoint contribute? Which perspective did you find most valuable for understanding Alderman’s message and why?

Encourage imaginative and creative connections to the book.

1. Write the opening paragraph of a chapter set 100 years after The Cataclysm but before the establishment of the matriarchal society seen in the frame narrative.

2. If you were to create an additional viewpoint character for the novel, what perspective would you choose to explore and why?

3. Design an alternative ending to the novel that avoids The Cataclysm while still addressing the central themes of power and gender.

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