I’m getting my thoughts in order for a book club discussion later today. I groaned when it was decided it was going to be a sci-fi book. But waited to see which book it was an hoped he would not be too obscure and geeky. Indeed it was well chosen for our girlie group! It was about women developing something called the power that allows them to send bolts of lightening into people. This therefore makes them more powerful than men! It is interesting the mention of parents being told to not let boys out alone at night and the story of three women sending lightening to the base of a man’s spine to make him erect then all having there way with him then leaving him alone, violated; twists to the normal narratives we hear!
The premise of the book is that it has been written as a history book. At the front is a note from the supposed author of the book to a female acquaintance asking her to read his manuscript. The book ends with the letter back from the women with her views then back and forth letter debate about gender.
In conclusion I did not find the book so difficult to read as I feared it may be. There was as mentioned some interesting parts about gender. The book jumped around lots of different characters and found did not really engage with any of them.; perhaps the male journalist being the most memorable amongst, all the female characters. Although there were good bits to read, I felt it got repetitive towards the end and did not really have much momentum. I’am pleased I have read it so that I can enjoy the discussion later. I’m sure the discussion will prompt further from myself and others will have picked up on aspects of the book that I did not.
Wonderwall 