A review by kyndallt23
Odsburg by Matt Tompkins

4.0

Set in the fictional town of Odsburg, Washington, Wallace Jenkins-Ross as a self proclaimed socio-anthropo-lingui-lore-ologist, sets out to record a collection that expresses the essence of this quirky town using experiences, interviews, found objects, and many instances of eavesdropping. I was not entirely sure what to expect when I started this book, but I was quickly enamored by the writing style. I vigorously flipped through the pages interested in the next obsurdity recorded. Each instance includes characters and their experiences that are each interesting and feel genuine despite their absurdity. The story as a whole is fun-filled and insane on the surface, but serves to give a larger lesson on humanity and the necessity of storytelling in a modern world. We also get a good dose of existentialism that will make you take a second to ponder to the human condition, right before stepping back into another wild ride of a story. Tompkins gives an enamoring depiction of Odsburg in a way that makes you feel like you are exploring along with Jenkins-Ross. Each piece serves to add character to the collection, and together they weave a delightfully odd story that will make you question what exactly you just read. I really enjoyed this collection, and I think it is a great option if you are looking for a little escapism.