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3.81 AVERAGE
3.81 AVERAGE
This was a hard book to read with all of the uncertainties happening in the U.S. today. El Akkad's words ring true about the rifts that have been created in this world and you can see how the dystopia that he created could all too easily become a reality. This is probably due to his journalistic background in war-torn countries, which allows him to have an insider-style writing to his book. Not a read for someone who wants to feel there is a little hope out there - just for someone who may be struggling with the realities we face and feel like they want a little revenge.
I appreciate the detail and the amazing story but man its hard to get over an unlikeable character.
Very engrossing. The way the author writes, it feels like a movie--I can see everything play out. However, it sometimes felt too much like a movie, in the sense that I could predict what would happen in each scene and things connected back to each other a little too fortuitously. The characters were dynamic, but they didn't feel especially new to me, more so playing off stereotypes.
I thought he did a good job drawing parallels to current societal and global issues without being too overwrought. I agree with other reviewers that certain pieces of the book's world and plot points are hard to believe, but then again, no one can speak with certainty about what will happen in the future.
I thought he did a good job drawing parallels to current societal and global issues without being too overwrought. I agree with other reviewers that certain pieces of the book's world and plot points are hard to believe, but then again, no one can speak with certainty about what will happen in the future.
challenging
dark
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
dark
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
One of the best books I've ever read. Both the overarching story of the dystopian, climate change driven future Second Civil War and the individual story of Sarat Chestnut were deeply engaging. Often a book's details do not stick with me weeks later, but in this case I find myself thinking about the book and being able to conjure up vivid details of the universe El Akkad created. Hope I return to this to write more when I am more up to the task.
Not sure how I feel about this book. It's well-written but not quite what I expected. The story is almost completely focused on just the protagonist and what she experiences in the dystopian future of the United States as imagined by the author Omar El Akkad. I was hoping for a deeper examination of the relations and tensions that would lead up to a national breaking point based on energy resources. Which I totally believe could happen, btw, and as an environmentalist I have very strong feelings on the matter. But the story is all about this girl from Louisiana, part of "the Red," and her family and her hellish experiences growing up on the side of the resistance. She gets recruited to the cause not because she believes in it, but because of an insatiable thirst for vengeance. She's not a likeable character but she isn't supposed to be; on the one hand as a New York liberal I felt all the disdain for her side of the war and its principles that I was probably supposed to/expected to feel. On the other hand it's a deeply human story where I have the suspicion that the author's point was, even in all our wretchedness and stubbornness in the end we're all human and suffer in the same way, and one can't help but sympathize for someone who has suffered and was personally wronged in the name of a larger, abstract cause. That is either condescending of me or of the author, I'm not sure which. Maybe glossing over the history and root causes of the conflict was intentional; maybe the author was trying to say that it's not the idea/cause, it's the casualties/victims stupid! And maybe in another context I could have enjoyed that more, because again, the writing is very good. But given actually current events and recent history, projections of the future (scientific or otherwise), I think it's likely that shit could actually get crazy. THIS crazy? This book doesn't really address that because it's not much about the broader context. It's worth a read because it's based on an intriguing premise, but I'd like more insight into the premise itself in my next dystopian future read.
Interesting concept but not written in a compelling way. I found myself wanting to understand more about how things got to where they did in this world. The author attempts to give the reader a lot of 'primary source' material within the book but that takes the reader out of the story still left me with a lot of questions.
I would definitely read more by the author.
I would definitely read more by the author.
American war was a gripping novel about the effects of radicalisation and the dangers of tribalism. The main character was believable and although at times I found myself getting frustrated at her decisions, I could see how she made them. I don't think that the main character was a bad person. I think that if anyone was put in her shoes, they may have been pushed into doing what she did.
I finished this book about a week ago and read through some of the negative reviews to get a sense of what didn't resonate for others. The biggest critique was that it seemed overly political/anti-American and that the setting was unbelievable.
I think those reviews may be fair, but they don't take away from the book. The anti-american theme was just that, A theme. Novels are allowed to explore political territories. You can argue if the author does a good job exploring this; I think it was explored adequately. The other theme of the setting being unbelievable is hard to think about, because it is science fiction. Could the American south stage another civil war over something like fuel? maybe they could if the right person dressed it up as an attack on liberty.
this book was a good and interesting read.
I finished this book about a week ago and read through some of the negative reviews to get a sense of what didn't resonate for others. The biggest critique was that it seemed overly political/anti-American and that the setting was unbelievable.
I think those reviews may be fair, but they don't take away from the book. The anti-american theme was just that, A theme. Novels are allowed to explore political territories. You can argue if the author does a good job exploring this; I think it was explored adequately. The other theme of the setting being unbelievable is hard to think about, because it is science fiction. Could the American south stage another civil war over something like fuel? maybe they could if the right person dressed it up as an attack on liberty.
this book was a good and interesting read.