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A review by chalicotherex
The Human War by Noah Cicero
2.0
“I know, a lot has happened to you. But you have to go on, you have to keep trying.”
“I don’t want to try anymore, I’m done trying. I work at Pizza Hut, that’s my life now, pizza.”
A handful of short stories, told mostly in single sentence paragraphs. I liked The Human War, about the lead up to the Iraq War as experienced by a young, poor man in Ohio, looking to get drunk and have sex. The mental asylum story set during the initial phase/lead up to the Iraq War had good dialogue but I didn't get into it as much. And the last one on the train, I dunno. I'm definitely still going to track down Burning Babies though. Overall I think there should be more of this kind of fiction. I want to call it stylish social realism, but I don't think that's right. Closer to autofiction, I suppose, at least somewhat. I don't know.
“The terrorists are coming to get me. They’re
going to put smallpox in the air, I know it. We’ll all be dead in a week, and Jesus will come back,” Kendra said.
“Jesus won’t come back, and you won’t die in a week.”
“Jesus will come back and send Bush to hell for everyone to see.”
“That would be nice,” I said.
“Jesus doesn’t like wars. He said to walk the extra mile.”
“Bush doesn’t care about that verse.”
“He should, he says he’s Christian.”
“He’s Christian for votes,” I said.
“I’m going to kill him.”
“You are.”
“Yes.”
“I don’t want to try anymore, I’m done trying. I work at Pizza Hut, that’s my life now, pizza.”
A handful of short stories, told mostly in single sentence paragraphs. I liked The Human War, about the lead up to the Iraq War as experienced by a young, poor man in Ohio, looking to get drunk and have sex. The mental asylum story set during the initial phase/lead up to the Iraq War had good dialogue but I didn't get into it as much. And the last one on the train, I dunno. I'm definitely still going to track down Burning Babies though. Overall I think there should be more of this kind of fiction. I want to call it stylish social realism, but I don't think that's right. Closer to autofiction, I suppose, at least somewhat. I don't know.
going to put smallpox in the air, I know it. We’ll all be dead in a week, and Jesus will come back,” Kendra said.
“Jesus won’t come back, and you won’t die in a week.”
“Jesus will come back and send Bush to hell for everyone to see.”
“That would be nice,” I said.
“Jesus doesn’t like wars. He said to walk the extra mile.”
“Bush doesn’t care about that verse.”
“He should, he says he’s Christian.”
“He’s Christian for votes,” I said.
“I’m going to kill him.”
“You are.”
“Yes.”