Power, Privilege, and The Question of Innocence
Anatomy of a Scandal is a story about a prominent man (James) in society, who, from the surface, appears to have it all. However, when accusations of misconduct surface, his seemingly perfect life and reputation are threatened to be ruined forever. His wife, Sophie, finds herself questioning everything she thought she knew about her husband, and the foundation of their marriage begins to crumble after having already rebuilt it once. Insert a g0-get-'em, hard-driven lawyer (Kate) who will stop at nothing to win an argument.
Although the story seems straight-forward, we soon learn that the situation is anything but straight-forward. Is everything really as it seems? Who is lying and who is telling the truth?
This novel had many components that I found absolutely enthralling. There's scandal, illicit affairs, betrayal, passion, doubt, and so much more. As I was reading Anatomy of a Scandal, I kept changing my mind on whether or not James was guilty. There were times when I was absolutely convinced of his guilt, and other times where I thought there was no way he could have done what he was being accused of. I think this is an important novel for the times that we are living in. This novel reflects on many issues plaguing our society, especially with the rise of the #MeToo movement. This story questions whether position and privilege influence the assumption of a person's guilt and innocence. Readers can tell that the author, Sarah Vaughan, is well-versed in political jargon and the legal proceedings of such a case. The characters were believable and flawed, without being over-the-top or cliche. I thought Vaughn did an excellent job of making each of their perspectives unique, while still connecting them to each other. I love when authors show how the actions of an individual have a ripple effect on those surrounding them. I found myself hoping for the best and preparing for the worst, as I became invested in the lives of the characters. 4/5
Although the story seems straight-forward, we soon learn that the situation is anything but straight-forward. Is everything really as it seems? Who is lying and who is telling the truth?
This novel had many components that I found absolutely enthralling. There's scandal, illicit affairs, betrayal, passion, doubt, and so much more. As I was reading Anatomy of a Scandal, I kept changing my mind on whether or not James was guilty. There were times when I was absolutely convinced of his guilt, and other times where I thought there was no way he could have done what he was being accused of. I think this is an important novel for the times that we are living in. This novel reflects on many issues plaguing our society, especially with the rise of the #MeToo movement. This story questions whether position and privilege influence the assumption of a person's guilt and innocence. Readers can tell that the author, Sarah Vaughan, is well-versed in political jargon and the legal proceedings of such a case. The characters were believable and flawed, without being over-the-top or cliche. I thought Vaughn did an excellent job of making each of their perspectives unique, while still connecting them to each other. I love when authors show how the actions of an individual have a ripple effect on those surrounding them. I found myself hoping for the best and preparing for the worst, as I became invested in the lives of the characters. 4/5