The country would hardly welcome the expense and disruption of a general election but, if he called one, his power would be confirmed by an overwhelming majority whether or not anyone had the temerity to stand against him. Theo asked himself how many of the other reforms he might have achieved had he stayed as Xan’s adviser. But he knew the answer. He had been powerless then and the Five Fishes were powerless now.
What a major hang up for this book.
Powerlessness is its own space. People live and die in powerlessness in a wide variety of ways. Folks can be fluent in powerlessness as agents and as creators. This book, quite simply, is not. I think it is due to the essential British-ness of the text; that it doesn't live and breath its powerlessness.
The movie is a significant improvement on this. On powerlessness, in particular, Cuarón has a great deal to say, and he gives it breadth and width -- it covers his whole canvas. Children of Men (the film) does its work so well largely because it takes place entirely within the belly of the wale Powerlessness.
