The Power

The Power

by

Naomi Alderman

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Allie/Eve

Allie begins the novel as a 16-year-old girl in Alabama who lives with her foster parents, Mr. Montgomery-Taylor and Mrs. Montgomery-Taylor. Allie is frequently beaten and raped by her foster father. When Allie gains… read analysis of Allie/Eve

Roxy Monke

Roxy is the daughter of a British crime boss, Bernie Monke. Roxy begins the novel at age 14. She watches two men break in to her home and murder her mother. During this… read analysis of Roxy Monke

Margot Cleary

Margot is the mayor of an unnamed city in New England. At the beginning of the book, Margot expresses frustration over the fact that she feels she is more competent than the governor of the… read analysis of Margot Cleary

Tunde Edo

Tunde is a 21-year-old journalist from Nigeria. As the only male protagonist, Tunde becomes an outside eye on the women’s corruption. At first, he recognizes and documents the positive aspects of women gaining the power… read analysis of Tunde Edo

Tatiana Moskalev

Tatiana is the wife of Viktor Moskalev, the President of Moldova. After women begin to rise up against the government, it is implied that she kills Viktor with her power (though outwardly it appears… read analysis of Tatiana Moskalev
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Jocelyn Cleary

Jocelyn is Margot’s daughter. Jocelyn has difficulties with her skein: she sometimes has so much power that she is unable to control it, but sometimes she doesn’t have any power at all. These… read analysis of Jocelyn Cleary

The voice

This is a voice in Allie’s head that guides her throughout much of her life, even before she gets the power. At first, Allie believes that the voice may be the voice of her… read analysis of The voice

Darrell Monke

Darrell is Roxy’s younger half-brother and Bernie and Barbara’s youngest son. When Roxy’s power grows, Darrell starts to become intensely jealous of his sister’s abilities. At first, Roxy believes that Darrell understands his… read analysis of Darrell Monke

Neil Adam Armon

Neil is the fictional author of The Power. Neil has a series of correspondences with a fictional version of Naomi Alderman that frame his book, in which he explains that his intention is to… read analysis of Neil Adam Armon

Naomi Alderman

Naomi is a fictionalized version of the author Naomi Alderman herself. She has several correspondences with Neil about his book, The Power. She gives him feedback stating that she doesn’t believe some aspects of… read analysis of Naomi Alderman

Daniel Dandon

Daniel is the governor of an unnamed state in New England, and Margot’s immediate superior. Margot is resentful of the fact that Daniel holds higher office than she does, despite the fact that she… read analysis of Daniel Dandon

Ryan

Ryan is Jocelyn’s boyfriend, and he is one of the few men who has a natural skein due to a chromosomal irregularity. He and Jocelyn meet on an online forum for people who have… read analysis of Ryan

UrbanDox

UrbanDox is a conspiracy theorist and a major figure among men’s rights groups. UrbanDox gives an interview with Tunde in which he confesses that he believes the women will eventually try to kill most of… read analysis of UrbanDox

Bernie Monke

Bernie is Roxy, Terry, Ricky, and Darrell’s father. Bernie is a crime boss in London, and Roxy admires him for his reputation for violence, recognizing how it protects him. Bernie loves… read analysis of Bernie Monke

Viktor Moskalev

Viktor is the President of Moldova and the husband of Tatiana Moskalev. After women who had been sold into sexual slavery in Moldova rise up against the men and the government of Moldova as… read analysis of Viktor Moskalev

Enuma

Enuma is a cousin of one of Tunde’s friends, and Tunde has a crush on Enuma at the beginning of the book. He flirts with her and play-wrestles with her one day when they… read analysis of Enuma

Nina

Nina is a female journalist whom Tunde dates briefly. He shies away from her in bed when she tries to use her power on him because of the trauma he endured in Delhi. Over the… read analysis of Nina

Mr. Montgomery-Taylor

Mr. Montgomery-Taylor is Allie’s long-term foster father and Mrs. Montgomery-Taylor’s husband. Mr. Montgomery-Taylor is abusive towards Allie and frequently rapes her. When Allie is able to control her power well enough, she kills… read analysis of Mr. Montgomery-Taylor

Mrs. Montgomery-Taylor

Mrs. Montgomery-Taylor is Allie’s foster mother and Mr. Montgomery-Taylor’s wife. While Allie believed that Mrs. Montgomery-Taylor was simply an idle bystander to Allie’s abuse, at the end of the novel Allie realizes that… read analysis of Mrs. Montgomery-Taylor

Kristen

Kirsten is one of the TV anchors in a recurring sketch in the book. At first, Kristen is given the lighter material and her colleague Tom is given the hard-hitting pieces to report. Gradually this… read analysis of Kristen

Tom Hobson

Tom is one of the TV anchors in a recurring sketch in the book. At first, Tom is given the hard-hitting pieces to report, while his colleague Kristen is given the fluffier material. However, as… read analysis of Tom Hobson

Noor

Noor is a woman whom Tunde meets during his reporting in Riyadh during the women’s riots. She takes him around Riyadh, showing him how the women have become newly liberated by the power. The two… read analysis of Noor

Roxy’s mother

At the beginning of the novel, Roxy’s mom is murdered by two men in Primrose’s gang while Roxy is present. Roxy spends much of the book trying to avenge everyone who had been… read analysis of Roxy’s mother

Barbara Monke

Barbara is Roxy’s stepmother and Bernie’s wife. Barbara dislikes Roxy because Bernie had an affair with Roxy’s mother, and she and Roxy’s mother became pregnant around the same time. But when Roxy… read analysis of Barbara Monke

Detective Newland

Newland is a detective who spies on Roxy and her mother. He then sells the information to Primrose so that Primrose’s gang can kill Roxy’s mother. Later in the novel, Roxy and Darrell track… read analysis of Detective Newland

Ricky Monke

Ricky is Roxy’s older half-brother, and Bernie and Barbara’s middle son. Ricky is raped and castrated by a group of three women while drunk one evening at a bar, despite his protests and… read analysis of Ricky Monke

Awadi-Atif

Awadi-Atif is the new king of Saudi Arabia. He becomes the heir to the throne after the assassination of the old king, following a women’s riot in Riyadh. He flees the country and begins supporting… read analysis of Awadi-Atif

Sister Veronica

Sister Veronica is one of the nuns in the convent where Allie stays. Sister Veronica is very skeptical of the girls’ new power, believing that it comes from the devil. She tells the other nuns… read analysis of Sister Veronica

Sister Maria Ignacia

Sister Maria Ignacia is one of the nuns in the convent where Allie stays. Allie is closest with Sister Maria Ignacia, and it is from her that Allie is inspired to emphasize the female figures… read analysis of Sister Maria Ignacia

Peter

Peter is a young man who is part of Tatiana Moskalev’s entourage after she becomes the leader of Bessapara. When he accidentally interrupts Tatiana at a party, she makes him lick up a broken… read analysis of Peter
Minor Characters
Primrose
Primrose is the leader of another gang that rivals Bernie’s. Primrose’s gang is responsible for killing Roxy’s mother, and so Bernie takes Roxy and his sons to get revenge on him. Roxy kills Primrose using her power in an act of vengeance for her mother.
Luanne
Luanne is an epileptic girl who lives in the convent with Allie. When Allie cures Luanne using her power, the nuns and other girls start to believe that a divine being is working through Allie.
Terry Monke
Terry is Roxy’s oldest half-brother, and Bernie and Barbara’s oldest son. Terry is killed when Roxy, Bernie, Ricky, and Darrell go to get revenge on Primrose for killing Roxy’s mother.
Matt
Matt is a young, attractive TV anchor who replaces Tom and takes on the lighter pieces while Kristen handles the more serious stories.
Alan
Alan is one of Margot’s advisors for her campaign, who runs debate prep with her.
Temi
Temi is Tunde’s sister.