A review by vacantbones
Anatomy of a Scandal by Sarah Vaughan

2.0

And then James says something that takes this to a more damaging, corrosive level that strikes her in the solar plexus hard as she contemplates a scenario so terrible that, fool that she is, she hadn't quite seen coming.
"The story's about to break."

Anatomy of a Scandal asks its readers to think critically about the power dynamics at the heart of sexual assault accusations, as well as the infinite web of people who are impacted as a result. This is a noble cause, and a well-written one at that. Ultimately, though, it didn't stand out to me.

The case itself is timely: a political powerhouse stands accused of rape, though he insists that this is a case of an extramarital affair turned sour. The story, though, just felt bland to me, despite so many reviews calling this one 'shocking.' I never found myself shocked, and the reveals either felt spoon fed or inconsequential (thinking particularly of the secret Sophie has been keeping for James since their university days - boring, IMO). There were also things I didn't care for when it comes to the character of Kate - she is supposed to be this badass powerhouse of a lawyer, but her work in the Whitehouse trial doesn't feel anything other than exceedingly average.

Despite these complaints of mine, the way in which Vaughan was able to write the character of Sophie truly stood out to me as exceptional. Oftentimes, the wives of accused men are portrayed as one-dimensional, unflinchingly loyal to their men despite what we, the readers, are privy to. The way we live in Sophie's brain as she navigates this foreign terrain is great. Frankly, I think this would've been a better story were it told entirely from her perspective.

This is not a bad book, just one of many that will likely fade into the background for me.