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3.81 AVERAGE
3.81 AVERAGE
One of the most stunning books I have read in ages. El Akkad is a masterful world building, telling us so much by hinting at the wider world outside his story without letting it draw away from his tragic, deeply affecting tale. A thought provoked for the ages, American War is haunting, poetic, and beautiful. An absolute must.
I believe I enjoyed this book so much because I didn't take it too seriously.
Some of the reviewers complained about absurdities with the timeline and politics but I didn't really take issue with any of it. I don't think its so unbelievable that the climate could drastically change in the next 40 years, maybe a climate scientist would disagree but as far as dystopian novels go I find it much more believable than a virus that creates vampire/zombie monsters a la The Passage or any other far-fetched plot.
Personally I didn't get too wrapped up in why the South was fighting the North, but more about how that fight affected the lives of the Chestnuts (which I think was the focus of the story). I loved the characters. Sarat was so fierce and strong and yet was taken advantage of and manipulated from such a young age. I could sympathize with her struggles and beliefs and yet I definitely did not like or agree with many of her choices. I loved Dana and Marcus and Cherylene the turtle.
It's not all positives, there are definitely some issues with this book - most related to the setting and circumstances of the war - but it was an enjoyable read with plenty of action, tragedy and engaging characters.
Some of the reviewers complained about absurdities with the timeline and politics but I didn't really take issue with any of it. I don't think its so unbelievable that the climate could drastically change in the next 40 years, maybe a climate scientist would disagree but as far as dystopian novels go I find it much more believable than a virus that creates vampire/zombie monsters a la The Passage or any other far-fetched plot.
Personally I didn't get too wrapped up in why the South was fighting the North, but more about how that fight affected the lives of the Chestnuts (which I think was the focus of the story). I loved the characters. Sarat was so fierce and strong and yet was taken advantage of and manipulated from such a young age. I could sympathize with her struggles and beliefs and yet I definitely did not like or agree with many of her choices. I loved Dana and Marcus and Cherylene the turtle.
It's not all positives, there are definitely some issues with this book - most related to the setting and circumstances of the war - but it was an enjoyable read with plenty of action, tragedy and engaging characters.
This is another in a long line of books that I think could have been much better than the final product. The premise of the war - the South's desire to cling to fossil fuel use - is a stretch, but all of the other underlying factors given in the book would have been much more plausible. That having been said, the story was enjoyable, a 'what if' parable for modern times. But it could have been so much more.
This book is amazing. The Guardian reviewer misses the point. This is not a book about America, this is a book about us, about war, about how thin the line is between society and anarchy. By using 'recognizable' imagery, you start to gain more insight in the plight of refugees, of being uprooted by violence, being desperate, trying to survive... It's not a nice book, but it's not depressing either. It's a must read for everyone.
This is also a perfect preparation for pandemic legacy season 2, as the world kinda looks the same...
This is also a perfect preparation for pandemic legacy season 2, as the world kinda looks the same...
50 years in the future, America is fighting another civil war. This time, rather than slavery, the issue is oil.
The Chestnut's are a family living a quiet life in Louisiana, trying to get by in a region that has not embraced the new no oil laws. They don't choose sides, they don't fly the flags of any political faction. But this is wartime, and no one gets to sit it out.
We see the war through the eyes of three generations of Chestnut's; the early days when they are forced to flee their home and survive in refugee camp. the Middle years, when the area where they lived seemed to be losing the war, and extreme measures were required; and the end of the war, when peace and reunification seemed to be the best, and the worst thing for everybody.
The Chestnut's are a family living a quiet life in Louisiana, trying to get by in a region that has not embraced the new no oil laws. They don't choose sides, they don't fly the flags of any political faction. But this is wartime, and no one gets to sit it out.
We see the war through the eyes of three generations of Chestnut's; the early days when they are forced to flee their home and survive in refugee camp. the Middle years, when the area where they lived seemed to be losing the war, and extreme measures were required; and the end of the war, when peace and reunification seemed to be the best, and the worst thing for everybody.
Yay: Quite gut-wrenching, and I mean that in the best way. The reader feels the loss, hope, and anguish that riddles Sarat's life. You vacillate between wanting to cheer for her, or throttle her; but overall, you're left with more of a disgusted pity.
American War is incredibly well-written, with several smaller moments within the book echoing the overall theme of the warping of humanity in times of cruelty.
This would make an excellent book club pick. I wish I had someone to discuss it with.
Nay: The underlying cause of the war required more suspension of belief than I was willing to give. It seemed incredibly unlikely that in a matter of 60 years, the Middle East has unified into a peaceful, thriving empire, racism/classism in the US is gone, and the main source of contention in the US is along regional lines.
received via Netgalley
American War is incredibly well-written, with several smaller moments within the book echoing the overall theme of the warping of humanity in times of cruelty.
This would make an excellent book club pick. I wish I had someone to discuss it with.
Nay: The underlying cause of the war required more suspension of belief than I was willing to give. It seemed incredibly unlikely that in a matter of 60 years, the Middle East has unified into a peaceful, thriving empire, racism/classism in the US is gone, and the main source of contention in the US is along regional lines.
received via Netgalley
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I listened to this on audiobook and I think it had a great impact on how I digested this novel. What was scariest about this book was how it managed to both straddle the plausibility of the future and take remnants of the past. The very premise of this novel is so eerily recognisable as something that could very quickly happen, especially in the current global political climate.
This novel follows Sarat, starting from her life as a young girl during the Second Civil War, where her home in Louisiana is swallowed up by the water and forces her family to take on refugee status and try to get another state. Then, through multiple parts of her life, the novel explores Sarat's role in ending the War, how she learned of the past and just how her world came into being, and the horrific punishment that came to those who were fighting for their own individual rights.
For something with such an intense and interesting dystopian concept, I can see why some people may have found this book quite difficult to get through. There are occasions when the prose becomes simply description, and a lot of our understanding of the current world relies on fictionalized history created by the author. We don't spend a huge amount of time in each section of her life, which makes the entire novel seem a bit disjointed.
Regardless, I really enjoyed this book. It definitely takes themes from The Hunger Games and The Handmaid's Tale and puts a political spin on it that readers in 2016/17 can sink their teeth into. It's almost like a warning sign to us; don't let us become like the character's in this book. Don't let the world change without our consent and our own movement.
This novel follows Sarat, starting from her life as a young girl during the Second Civil War, where her home in Louisiana is swallowed up by the water and forces her family to take on refugee status and try to get another state. Then, through multiple parts of her life, the novel explores Sarat's role in ending the War, how she learned of the past and just how her world came into being, and the horrific punishment that came to those who were fighting for their own individual rights.
For something with such an intense and interesting dystopian concept, I can see why some people may have found this book quite difficult to get through. There are occasions when the prose becomes simply description, and a lot of our understanding of the current world relies on fictionalized history created by the author. We don't spend a huge amount of time in each section of her life, which makes the entire novel seem a bit disjointed.
Regardless, I really enjoyed this book. It definitely takes themes from The Hunger Games and The Handmaid's Tale and puts a political spin on it that readers in 2016/17 can sink their teeth into. It's almost like a warning sign to us; don't let us become like the character's in this book. Don't let the world change without our consent and our own movement.