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3.81 AVERAGE
3.81 AVERAGE
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
slow-paced
challenging
dark
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Right up there with The Road in terms of quality. Great story, beautifully penned, with fully rounded characters.
I waited months for this at my local library, so imagine my disappointment when I actually hated the book. The concept of a Second Civil War over fossil fuels was fascinating, but the world the author built just seemed flat. The characters were one dimensional and stereotypical, and the dialogue was just awful. A ton of shitty things happened to Sarat, but since her character never felt real, I didn't care. Glad to be done.
Also- where did the south keep getting fossil fuel? If the majority of the world turned to solar power, how was the war not over sooner? I would love an explanation because it just didn't make sense, and was never explained.
Also- where did the south keep getting fossil fuel? If the majority of the world turned to solar power, how was the war not over sooner? I would love an explanation because it just didn't make sense, and was never explained.
I devoured this book in a day because I found the writing engaging and intriguing, though the more I think about certain plot elements and character portrayals, the less I'm sure I actually liked the book. Some of the other reviews on Goodreads made some great points, especially on Southern stereotypes (something I am very much not fond of, being born and raised in Atlanta) and the idea that the country splinters in two because of fossil fuels (on further thought, it seems kind of trivial a cause to disunite the States over, but that's just me). So, I'm not sure how much I actually liked it overall, though I liked the writing. Your mileage, of course, may vary.
Where American War succeeds in writing, in lacks severely in substance. The prose is hauntingly beautiful and it is a story that will likely stay with me. However, there is something missing from the heart of this book. Repeatedly, I couldn’t help but ask why? It was baffling to me as to why El Akkad chose to essentially rewrite the 1861 American Civil War but set in the future with climate change as a catalyst and probably the most tactless- devoid of any mention of racism and for the most part, race. I could not help but recoil from the obvious (and at times, forced) parallels between the Free Southern State and the Rebels with the Confederacy.
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This was fine. It's about one family's dealings during the Second Civil War. I think I was hoping for a more zoomed out insight into the turmoil. I think I wanted a full-blown analysis of the major battles and the key players, which does basically ignore the real victims in war. God damn, Omar, trying to make me feel all gushy for the individual.
