Also on Snow White Hates Apples.

My first legal story ever and I definitely get the hype now. Anatomy of a Scandal is like a Law & Order episode but in written form. We have our cast of characters:

a) Divorced and emotionally unavailable, Kate’s work as a lawyer specialising in sexual crimes is her life.

b) Charismatic and satyriac, James is a loving father and successful public figure.

c) Wearing rose-tinted glasses of different shades (whether willingly or forced), Sophie is James’s wife and she’s desperate to believe her husband and protect their family.

And, the story — with its tangled web of lies — unravels mainly from their perspective, though the main ones are Kate and Sophie, two complex characters who make the story all the more intriguing. It’s also a plus that the author clearly knows what they’re doing, showing the depth of their research on the matter and deftly switching between different periods to raise the tension and suspense without giving everything away too early.

My only qualm is that the story becomes draggy outside the courtroom. Several unnecessary details could’ve been made more concise, such as the paragraphs detailing almost everything along the path one of the characters took to their office. It is especially during such moments in the book that my attention waned.

All in all, Anatomy of a Scandal is a masterful, multifaceted and thought-provoking character-driven courtroom drama that explores the themes of privilege, sex, womanhood and power.

I watched the Netflix series when it came out a couple years ago but forgot most of the plot. It's interesting. Less a thriller and more an unwinding of an event that happened 25 years before and the impact on the characters in current days.

A very good read once I'd got into the story. Beautifully written, and interesting to read about the developing court case, evidence and personal back stories that relate to the characters development and attitudes.

It rotates around mainly affluent and privileged individuals and their attitudes towards society based on their sense of privilege.

Holly comes from working class background and goes to uni in Oxford, becoming tutor partners with Sophie, more typical of the Oxford uni set. The story is written and flits between current times (2017) and uni times (1993). In 2017 Sophies MP Husband is accused of rape by the woman he has been having an affair with.... the case goes to court and the story develops travelling back and forth, detailing James (Sophies husband) background from uni through to current times and his close friendship with longtime friend, Tom the PM. There's a hint of something in the past between them whereby Tom 'owes' James and so therefore will protect him and his political career, but he also keeps a distance during the time the case comes to Court... 

Sophies story details their courtship through their marriage and her questions as to whether she believes his accusation and how or not she chooses to support him.

Kate is the other woman's barrister in court for the prosecution. You get the feeling from very early on that she has a personal bias towards the prosecution of sexual crimes, an area she has chosen to focus on in law. Statistically rape crimes have a low success rate for prosecution, but even less so in 'relationship' rape. The definition of rape depends upon the evidence being provided that shows the victim made it clear at the point of penetration that they did not consent and made that known to the perpetrator.

The court case continues and parties give evidence, being questioned by the defence and prosecution whilst under oath. Sophie isn't present at court for the whole of the case but attends briefly on the first day and on the last in support of her husband.

Holly dropped out unexpectedly at the end of her first year of uni and never told anyone why. The truth was she had been assaulted by a male whom she had a crush on but he was aware (James). She never told anyone because she didn't feel anyone would believe her due to their very different backgrounds, and instead continued her career at a different uni. Even her best friend from Oxford was unaware. Her subsequent marriage broke down due to to the issues the attack had left her with.

Later, it becomes clear that Kate is Holly.. that Holly changed her name and became a successful barrister.

Kates best friend from uni works out the connection for why her friend has a bias and strength of conviction in asserting her prosecution for James.

The case concludes in court and the story explains how Tom feels he owes James in regard to his own success from their days in The Libertines, their uni group of entitled, wealthy undergrads. It continues past the conclusion of the case, and into whether or not Sophie and James marriage survives, and what skeletons may or may not fall out of long closed closets. 

Very interesting read, and as always, am intrigued by the psych of the characters and their attitudes towards life and society, especially where class or privilege affect the characters integrity. The unfairness of life in those from less fortunate backgrounds having less voice or stature could be highlighted. Intelligence and humanity unfortunately are not always qualities shared by those of fortunate position.

enough twists that it moved away from being obvious (thankfully). a page turner but too much of a tease about "the event"