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3.81 AVERAGE
3.81 AVERAGE
(4.5) This is a cautionary tale that is all the more effective because I felt like it was entirely believable. I loved this book -- it completely pulled me in and, days later, I'm still thinking about it. Highly recommended.
"'We forget, sometimes,' Gaines said, 'that there are still beautiful things.'"
"Sarat thought about how easy it would be to fix the mistake, to simply redraw the stars properly. But she knew that even broken history is history. The stars, cast wrong, must remain that way. It would be more wrong to change them."
"I sided with the Red because when a Southerner tells you what they're fighting for -- be it tradition, pride, or just mule-headed stubbornness -- you can agree or disagree, but you can't call it a lie."
"'We forget, sometimes,' Gaines said, 'that there are still beautiful things.'"
"Sarat thought about how easy it would be to fix the mistake, to simply redraw the stars properly. But she knew that even broken history is history. The stars, cast wrong, must remain that way. It would be more wrong to change them."
"I sided with the Red because when a Southerner tells you what they're fighting for -- be it tradition, pride, or just mule-headed stubbornness -- you can agree or disagree, but you can't call it a lie."
dark
slow-paced
We should teach this book in every high school in North America.
One of the smartest and most unique books I've read in a long time. It imagines a near-future U.S. Civil War II, following one main character through the course of her life pre, during, and post war through the eyes of a future relative. The writing is well written, stark and to the point which fits the book's themes, the content thought-provoking. Highly recommend.
emotional
informative
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
American War is a novel set in the late 2000's where the United States has broken out in another Civil War, this time similar to the last where it's between the Southern States and the north.
It focuses on Sarat Chestnut who is the twin of Dana and the daughter of a man who just wants to leave their home and go to safety. You follow her on a journey as she grows from someone who is not loved at all by those around her except her family, to being an amazing killer and solider.
I honestly found this book a little hard to get into, there was a mixture of news reports and other excerpts as well as the actual story and I found it hard to follow at times.
I don't really have much to say about it as it didn't leave an amazing impression, it wasn't terrible but wasn't anything more than a 3/5.
I enjoyed the characters from time to time but felt there was a lot lacking when it came to development in who they were as people except with Sarat.
Overall it was an alright story but probably wouldn't recommend or anything like that.
It focuses on Sarat Chestnut who is the twin of Dana and the daughter of a man who just wants to leave their home and go to safety. You follow her on a journey as she grows from someone who is not loved at all by those around her except her family, to being an amazing killer and solider.
I honestly found this book a little hard to get into, there was a mixture of news reports and other excerpts as well as the actual story and I found it hard to follow at times.
I don't really have much to say about it as it didn't leave an amazing impression, it wasn't terrible but wasn't anything more than a 3/5.
I enjoyed the characters from time to time but felt there was a lot lacking when it came to development in who they were as people except with Sarat.
Overall it was an alright story but probably wouldn't recommend or anything like that.
Fascinating concept, mediocre execution. This book could have been brilliant but instead was a bit of a slog. The author had important things to say about the nature and stupidity of war and what it does to people and what it makes people do to each other. And, the concept of a second American Civil War waged during an environmental crisis felt frighteningly realistic.
Unfortunately the characters only occasionally felt three dimensional. The narrative structure undermined any suspense the plot may have had, and did nothing to keep me engaged.
Unfortunately the characters only occasionally felt three dimensional. The narrative structure undermined any suspense the plot may have had, and did nothing to keep me engaged.
Liked it enough to finish. Interesting that the focus was on the south rising again in a way. The characters did get on my nerves a bit.
Probably 2.5 stars. I found this fairly disappointing, I expected a book about a future civil war to be more exciting and it wasn't really. The first third of the book is very dense, really in need of editing. Not much happens but it takes forever to not happen. It's mainly supposed to be character development, but nearly all of the characters remain thin and pretty poorly drawn. Sarat is the most developed character, but I didn't always buy the development. It picked up more in the middle, though it was still pretty slow and dreary, and then it really flew to the ending, which was very clearly going to be the ending from about the first quarter on. This is one of those books that had such a great, promising premise and just didn't deliver. I actually think it would have been a better book if it had zoomed out and not been so wholly, intensely focused on one character.
The setting is this futuristic war-torn America rooted somewhat in environmental issues, and attempts to shine a light on what could come for us. It made me consider Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451 (a 1950's prediction of a time that is NOW), only it's scarier because I believe this could really happen.
I wanted so much more detail in regards to the time period! I was so intrigued in the first few pages with the borders/maps of the United States being altered due to climate and war. I wanted more world building here, with a lot more focus on the differences in the American landscape/geography and the environmental changes and political turmoil that have gone on for 70+ years. In this regard, I felt let down. There is much more focus on the personal life of Sarat then there is of America as a whole. I kept having to remind myself this is a novel, not a nonfiction prediction of our country.
It's clear from the title and the first few pages this is obviously not a happy story. But it is thought- provoking and eye-opening for a fiction novel. I'm craving more about this world that Akkad has set up.
I wanted so much more detail in regards to the time period! I was so intrigued in the first few pages with the borders/maps of the United States being altered due to climate and war. I wanted more world building here, with a lot more focus on the differences in the American landscape/geography and the environmental changes and political turmoil that have gone on for 70+ years. In this regard, I felt let down. There is much more focus on the personal life of Sarat then there is of America as a whole. I kept having to remind myself this is a novel, not a nonfiction prediction of our country.
It's clear from the title and the first few pages this is obviously not a happy story. But it is thought- provoking and eye-opening for a fiction novel. I'm craving more about this world that Akkad has set up.