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charles__ 's review for:
American War
by Omar El Akkad
Did Not Finish (DNF).
I started this book based on an interview I heard on National Public Radio. The story reminds me very much of something [a:William Gibson|9226|William Gibson|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1373826214p2/9226.jpg] might have written in his middle period.
Writing is quite good. Action scenes and descriptive prose are very rich. Dialog is good. If I have a criticism, its that the prose is a tad too literary. For example, the prose around the dirt-poor, tidewater Chestnut family should ideally be simpler to reflect their circumstance. The book was also well structured, with the scene transitions being well-handled.
After 175-pages, I put this book down.
Despite it being well-written, it wasn't interesting enough for me to continue reading. I tried picking it up several times, but never read more than a chapter every couple of weeks. I blame it on the author's choice of a main character. I was not in love with the protagonist, Sarat. I understand the point in making her a young woman (girl) of color. Although, I've come to think it was overly clever. Frankly, I thought Sarat's mother, Martina, was someone I could relate to more closely.
Also there was not enough of both the Cly-fy and future military and diplomatic history in the story to hold my interest. I'm terribly interested in both of these subjects. The Prologue, Maps and guerrilla warfare in America initially peeked my interest. However, there was no sustain for them. The Climate Change, and the military and diplomatic aspects of a modern American Civil War were too far down in the noise of the story to save it for me.
My scant reading time is just to precious to spend it on something I'm either not enjoying or really hating. I could see someone else really liking this book. However, it just wasn't for me.
I started this book based on an interview I heard on National Public Radio. The story reminds me very much of something [a:William Gibson|9226|William Gibson|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1373826214p2/9226.jpg] might have written in his middle period.
Writing is quite good. Action scenes and descriptive prose are very rich. Dialog is good. If I have a criticism, its that the prose is a tad too literary. For example, the prose around the dirt-poor, tidewater Chestnut family should ideally be simpler to reflect their circumstance. The book was also well structured, with the scene transitions being well-handled.
After 175-pages, I put this book down.
Despite it being well-written, it wasn't interesting enough for me to continue reading. I tried picking it up several times, but never read more than a chapter every couple of weeks. I blame it on the author's choice of a main character. I was not in love with the protagonist, Sarat. I understand the point in making her a young woman (girl) of color. Although, I've come to think it was overly clever. Frankly, I thought Sarat's mother, Martina, was someone I could relate to more closely.
Also there was not enough of both the Cly-fy and future military and diplomatic history in the story to hold my interest. I'm terribly interested in both of these subjects. The Prologue, Maps and guerrilla warfare in America initially peeked my interest. However, there was no sustain for them. The Climate Change, and the military and diplomatic aspects of a modern American Civil War were too far down in the noise of the story to save it for me.
My scant reading time is just to precious to spend it on something I'm either not enjoying or really hating. I could see someone else really liking this book. However, it just wasn't for me.