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3.81 AVERAGE
3.81 AVERAGE
As a concept I really enjoyed the vision and commentary on where our current climate actions could be taking us. I'm a sucker for alternate history/dystopias/world building and combined with the current political moment this was a satisfying read.
One major component did bother me in the context of gaming out a nearish future American civil conflict in the sense that race was mostly paved over, especially given the majority of protagonists were people of color.
This is probably a "me" problem in the sense that I should relax and suspend belief for fiction's sake but a book covering another conflict between the American North and South without that dynamic seems to leave quite a big elephant in the room.
One major component did bother me in the context of gaming out a nearish future American civil conflict in the sense that race was mostly paved over, especially given the majority of protagonists were people of color.
This is probably a "me" problem in the sense that I should relax and suspend belief for fiction's sake but a book covering another conflict between the American North and South without that dynamic seems to leave quite a big elephant in the room.
Though there is a lot of thematic material here, I primarily understood this book as an intimate exploration of violent radicalization and the apparent collapse of moral boundaries as experienced by people living under war conditions. It is deeply sympathetic to how trauma and violence often beget trauma and violence, and it (mostly) moves through that vein without casting any sort of normative judgement.
Sarat is one of the more complex characters that I have read in the past year or so. She is a real gift of a character: someone who is simultaneously loathsome and close to the heart of the reader, as well as someone who makes surprising choices on occasion. By the time the book was finished, my memory of her character was charged with a defiance: dare I pass judgment? Dare I imagine that I would do or feel differently than she? That I am in any way better? That I could credibly dismiss her motives for doing objectively heinous things to others? To have such emotional trepidation about (and sympathy for) a character who clearly violates the tenants basic morality is a testament to the power of El Akkad’d writing. It is also a prescient exercise in empathy as the American Empire continues to expand and make real war zones beyond the pages of a book.
At times grisly, harrowing, and nauseating, at times redemptive, pure, and forgiving, El Akkad certainly deserves credit for penning a novel that surveys such a broad emotional terrain. And yet, there still feels to me like there was room for more nuance. For being a dystopic rendering of a second North/South American Civil War set in the near future, the book has a conspicuously undeveloped racial frame. It was very surprising to me that in a book set in the Deep South under such conditions, there is little evidence of racism — either interpersonal or state-sponsored. There also seems to be an underdeveloped relationship between the ongoing Civil War and the historical Civil War, as though the two could possibly exist without an intensely interconnected (even if imagined) history. That the Lost Cause mythology does not appear to significantly infect a seceded South is unrealistic to me, and I think that the book could have had a lot more to say if the author had grappled with these real world legacies more adeptly in his fiction.
Overall, I thought it was a very good read, though. The main character was very strong, and the novel also features a rich volume of [fictive] primary source documents to flesh out the contours of the war beyond the characters’ experiences (a structure that worked well for me). It wouldn’t be at the top of my recommendation list for most folks, but somewhere down the line, I think it’s probably make the list.
Sarat is one of the more complex characters that I have read in the past year or so. She is a real gift of a character: someone who is simultaneously loathsome and close to the heart of the reader, as well as someone who makes surprising choices on occasion. By the time the book was finished, my memory of her character was charged with a defiance: dare I pass judgment? Dare I imagine that I would do or feel differently than she? That I am in any way better? That I could credibly dismiss her motives for doing objectively heinous things to others? To have such emotional trepidation about (and sympathy for) a character who clearly violates the tenants basic morality is a testament to the power of El Akkad’d writing. It is also a prescient exercise in empathy as the American Empire continues to expand and make real war zones beyond the pages of a book.
At times grisly, harrowing, and nauseating, at times redemptive, pure, and forgiving, El Akkad certainly deserves credit for penning a novel that surveys such a broad emotional terrain. And yet, there still feels to me like there was room for more nuance. For being a dystopic rendering of a second North/South American Civil War set in the near future, the book has a conspicuously undeveloped racial frame. It was very surprising to me that in a book set in the Deep South under such conditions, there is little evidence of racism — either interpersonal or state-sponsored. There also seems to be an underdeveloped relationship between the ongoing Civil War and the historical Civil War, as though the two could possibly exist without an intensely interconnected (even if imagined) history. That the Lost Cause mythology does not appear to significantly infect a seceded South is unrealistic to me, and I think that the book could have had a lot more to say if the author had grappled with these real world legacies more adeptly in his fiction.
Overall, I thought it was a very good read, though. The main character was very strong, and the novel also features a rich volume of [fictive] primary source documents to flesh out the contours of the war beyond the characters’ experiences (a structure that worked well for me). It wouldn’t be at the top of my recommendation list for most folks, but somewhere down the line, I think it’s probably make the list.
I agree when people say there was something that was missing, but I think maybe that was a bit of the point. It’s not meant to be a “happy” story.
Two and a half stars, rounded up to three. I’m glad that I’ve read this for an upcoming in-person book group, since I’m not sure how to process it on my own. For me, a big strength of the book is Sarat and how she evolves as she grows to adulthood during the second American civil war. But she’s the only character who feels fully fleshed out to me. Her mother comes in at a close second, but the rest of the characters are flat and seem to exist only to further the plot, or represent an idea. I appreciate Sarat as a powerful antidote to the heroine/assassin/supermodels who are kicking and punching their way through too many movies. (Although kudos to the stuntwomen who are actually doing it, cgi enhanced or not!) But even making this comparison is unfair to a book that takes such an unflinching look at war and humanity - like comparing a real person to a cartoon. Another strength for me is the depiction of life in the eco-catastrophe of the late 21st century world. If there are scientific mistakes or impossibilities in this world, I don’t have the knowledge to recognize them – I bought it all.
I think the author’s purpose in writing this book is to bring home to Americans the horrors he’s seen as a war correspondent – a necessary and noble idea. But I think the purpose overwhelms the art, and it feels too baldly obvious to me that this story exists to string together the Iraq War, Syrian refugee camps and Guantanamo Bay.
My biggest problem with the book is that I just can’t buy its depiction of a late 21st century Confederate south, especially one that has gone to war solely for the right to mine and use fossil fuels . I guess the author was looking for something to stand in for slavery – something that’s universally recognized as evil and abhorrent. I am completely confused by the absence of race as an issue in this dystopic America – as if a late 21st century Confederacy could somehow be post-racial. We learn that Sarat’s father was latino and her mother was black, and that her twin sister looks like her father, while she looks like her mother, but after that, race simply disappears. I believe that race injustice has been and still is at the core of America’s ills, and if a book makes the leap to say it’s gone in 50 years, it has to show early 21st century readers how it happened. Maybe I’ve completely missed something here – I’m glad I’ll have a book group to talk it out this week.
I think the author’s purpose in writing this book is to bring home to Americans the horrors he’s seen as a war correspondent – a necessary and noble idea. But I think the purpose overwhelms the art, and it feels too baldly obvious to me that this story exists to string together the Iraq War, Syrian refugee camps and Guantanamo Bay.
My biggest problem with the book is that I just can’t buy its depiction of a late 21st century Confederate south, especially one that has gone to war solely for the right to mine and use fossil fuels . I guess the author was looking for something to stand in for slavery – something that’s universally recognized as evil and abhorrent. I am completely confused by the absence of race as an issue in this dystopic America – as if a late 21st century Confederacy could somehow be post-racial. We learn that Sarat’s father was latino and her mother was black, and that her twin sister looks like her father, while she looks like her mother, but after that, race simply disappears. I believe that race injustice has been and still is at the core of America’s ills, and if a book makes the leap to say it’s gone in 50 years, it has to show early 21st century readers how it happened. Maybe I’ve completely missed something here – I’m glad I’ll have a book group to talk it out this week.
dark
emotional
informative
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Review from Tenacious Reader: http://www.tenaciousreader.com/2018/02/12/audiobook-review-american-war-by-omar-el-akkad/
4.5/5 Stars
American War is one of the most striking and visual books I’ve read in quite a while. It creates an almost palpable atmosphere and setting, and really immerses the reader in this world of war and plague. The writing is just absolutely beautiful, even if the world is not.
The premise is America is being ravaged by a second Civil War, triggered by an oil shortage and some southern states refusing to adhere to new regulations designed to curb global warming. At the same time, the population is also being decimated by a plague. We learn about it all through the story of Sarat who is living in a camp for displaced people after her father was killed. Sarat is a very interesting character, she has a strong spirit and is not one to conform easily. She does not necessarily fit in easily, but she finds her own place and purpose and journey makes a great read.
I found every page immersive and the world was quite frankly too easy to relate to or envision. This is a book that is a bit of a slow burn, but for those that appreciate a strong setting and a book that makes you think all paired with amazing writing, you’ll want to check this out.
Really my only concern with this book is that I listened to the audiobook edition, and while the narrator gave a great performance, I think the book itself would be easier to read in text as it jumps timelines and I found myself confused on several occassions, trying to place where and when the current scene was taking place. This would obviously not be an issue in text as it is really easy to flip back to the beginning of a section to correctly place the scene.
Overall, I love the concept,and the writing. It’s very relevant, and thought provoking, and even beyond that, the writing is excellent. I can see why this book won so much praise and I definitely recommend it.
4.5/5 Stars
American War is one of the most striking and visual books I’ve read in quite a while. It creates an almost palpable atmosphere and setting, and really immerses the reader in this world of war and plague. The writing is just absolutely beautiful, even if the world is not.
The premise is America is being ravaged by a second Civil War, triggered by an oil shortage and some southern states refusing to adhere to new regulations designed to curb global warming. At the same time, the population is also being decimated by a plague. We learn about it all through the story of Sarat who is living in a camp for displaced people after her father was killed. Sarat is a very interesting character, she has a strong spirit and is not one to conform easily. She does not necessarily fit in easily, but she finds her own place and purpose and journey makes a great read.
I found every page immersive and the world was quite frankly too easy to relate to or envision. This is a book that is a bit of a slow burn, but for those that appreciate a strong setting and a book that makes you think all paired with amazing writing, you’ll want to check this out.
Really my only concern with this book is that I listened to the audiobook edition, and while the narrator gave a great performance, I think the book itself would be easier to read in text as it jumps timelines and I found myself confused on several occassions, trying to place where and when the current scene was taking place. This would obviously not be an issue in text as it is really easy to flip back to the beginning of a section to correctly place the scene.
Overall, I love the concept,and the writing. It’s very relevant, and thought provoking, and even beyond that, the writing is excellent. I can see why this book won so much praise and I definitely recommend it.
Couldn't finish this. I'm a fan of dystopian fiction and love a female protagonist, but couldn't overlook the clunky writing. There's frequent repetition of basic things about the characters (Sarat's a tomboy, her twin isn't - we get it already!) or inconsistencies where Sarat is so young/innocent that she doesn't understand lying, but a couple pages later she has some tremendous adult insight that doesn't fit.
The writing for the "flashback" news pieces or academic papers or whatever they were supposed to be didn't illuminate things the way I felt they should. The rebels / Free South distinction was lost on me.
The writing for the "flashback" news pieces or academic papers or whatever they were supposed to be didn't illuminate things the way I felt they should. The rebels / Free South distinction was lost on me.
So well written, and it sucked me in, but wow was it a devastating story.
American War is eerily plausible, which is why it is such a disturbing read.
Consider this:
-Southern states have tried to secede before, and many still wish to leave the union.
-A migration crisis is happening right now, globally.
-Conditions in refugee camps have been widely reported, but the average North American has paid little to no attention to these reports.
-It has been proven that tortured prisoners will admit to almost anything if the torturer breaks them, which is why this method of intel cannot be relied upon, and is against international law.
-Global warming is a fact. Environmental crisis are happening globally including water shortage, famine and changing coastlines.
Sarat could be one of so many children raised in a time of war and poverty. Her story, told in an interesting narrative which also includes historical reports, resonates deeply with the reader as while horrible atrocities occur to her and because of her, you can't help but still feel empathy for her and the entire Chestnut family, simply for living through such a time.
Consider this:
-Southern states have tried to secede before, and many still wish to leave the union.
-A migration crisis is happening right now, globally.
-Conditions in refugee camps have been widely reported, but the average North American has paid little to no attention to these reports.
-It has been proven that tortured prisoners will admit to almost anything if the torturer breaks them, which is why this method of intel cannot be relied upon, and is against international law.
-Global warming is a fact. Environmental crisis are happening globally including water shortage, famine and changing coastlines.
Sarat could be one of so many children raised in a time of war and poverty. Her story, told in an interesting narrative which also includes historical reports, resonates deeply with the reader as while horrible atrocities occur to her and because of her, you can't help but still feel empathy for her and the entire Chestnut family, simply for living through such a time.