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A review by lamergirl
The Great State of West Florida by Kent Wascom
adventurous
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
A coming-of-age, modern Floridian western, backdropped by Trump's America (and DeSantis' Florida), and gun violence.
While I very much enjoyed the writing and narrator's voice, I do think it didn't quite explored the themes it naturally brought up enough. I'm left wondering if Rally really comprehends that realistically, his family and the Govenor's dreams of their own West Florida probably aren't too far off from the Yarbroughs' vision. After all, his grandfather was a conservative talk-show host in the 80s and 90s in Florida's panhandle...
In a small moment, Rally's friend asks a very important question to him, about the vision of his family's so-called state of West Florida: "what about trans kids?" And Rally thinks they'd be welcomed but promises to ask around to be sure. I don't believe we ever got that confirmation, and I think it was a deliberate thread left untied by the author (maybe it wasn't?) to get the reader thinking about it, but at the end of the day Rally does not grapple with these questions or contradictions. Maybe The Governor would be fine with it, but are the kind of people who want to succeed from from America/Florida/establish their own new state gonna be okay with it?
And I thought the racial elements of the story were very underdeveloped. There isn't a lot of interrogation on the white nationalism and it's links with anti-government, machoism, and toxic masculinity. There are vague threads of this in the book, but blink and you will miss them, in favor of another gun showdown.
I disagree with some other reviewers on some things: the book cover perfectly matched the vibe and story of the book itself, the family tree and history isn't that confusing (though perhaps I've had a lot of practice, coming from ASOIAF), there were beautiful evocative images and moments throughout, and this book does have a lot to say. It's not all bullets and f-bombs. I don't think the strange lawlessness or too-futuristic technology needed to be explained; the former is not that unrealistic, given America's unwillingness to legislate against wanna-be cowboys standing their ground with their God given right to a gun, and the latter helped create a strong dream-like, surreal atmosphere. Which was perfect for a book about the spirit of Florida.
In the end, I enjoyed this book, faults and all. Perhaps it's the born and raised Floridian in me. Time will only tell how well some of this ages (I could have done without such a strong RFK comparison, though let's be honest: those against government regulations of food safety are gonna have an increased chance of mad cow). But I thought Rally had a strong voice, and he was a sympathetic and well-crafted character. I like Lorena. I liked the complex relationship between Rodney and Rally, and the themes of generational trauma and long-lasting consequences of violence.
While I very much enjoyed the writing and narrator's voice, I do think it didn't quite explored the themes it naturally brought up enough. I'm left wondering if Rally really comprehends that realistically, his family and the Govenor's dreams of their own West Florida probably aren't too far off from the Yarbroughs' vision. After all, his grandfather was a conservative talk-show host in the 80s and 90s in Florida's panhandle...
In a small moment, Rally's friend asks a very important question to him, about the vision of his family's so-called state of West Florida: "what about trans kids?" And Rally thinks they'd be welcomed but promises to ask around to be sure. I don't believe we ever got that confirmation, and I think it was a deliberate thread left untied by the author (maybe it wasn't?) to get the reader thinking about it, but at the end of the day Rally does not grapple with these questions or contradictions. Maybe The Governor would be fine with it, but are the kind of people who want to succeed from from America/Florida/establish their own new state gonna be okay with it?
And I thought the racial elements of the story were very underdeveloped. There isn't a lot of interrogation on the white nationalism and it's links with anti-government, machoism, and toxic masculinity. There are vague threads of this in the book, but blink and you will miss them, in favor of another gun showdown.
I disagree with some other reviewers on some things: the book cover perfectly matched the vibe and story of the book itself, the family tree and history isn't that confusing (though perhaps I've had a lot of practice, coming from ASOIAF), there were beautiful evocative images and moments throughout, and this book does have a lot to say. It's not all bullets and f-bombs. I don't think the strange lawlessness or too-futuristic technology needed to be explained; the former is not that unrealistic, given America's unwillingness to legislate against wanna-be cowboys standing their ground with their God given right to a gun, and the latter helped create a strong dream-like, surreal atmosphere. Which was perfect for a book about the spirit of Florida.
In the end, I enjoyed this book, faults and all. Perhaps it's the born and raised Floridian in me. Time will only tell how well some of this ages (I could have done without such a strong RFK comparison, though let's be honest: those against government regulations of food safety are gonna have an increased chance of mad cow). But I thought Rally had a strong voice, and he was a sympathetic and well-crafted character. I like Lorena. I liked the complex relationship between Rodney and Rally, and the themes of generational trauma and long-lasting consequences of violence.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Death, Gun violence, Violence, Death of parent
Moderate: Rape, Sexual violence