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.