A review by byp
The Submission by Amy Waldman

3.0

This novel is immediately engrossing, and the different perspectives thoughtful. The Mo/Laila plot is a little contrived, but I think that's because Laila is a broadly-drawn character, which made her hard to know. I kept getting sidelined by the changes Walderman makes from actual events. This is NYC in the aftermath of 9/11, and everything is recognizable, except for the memorial and the politicians. The governor is someone named Bittman; instead of Guiliani, NYC has a nameless, and liberal, mayor; the "president" is never named, and barely referenced. I could get behind a parallel universe story, or even one outside of politics, but a book about cultural changes that sidesteps the actual politicians who dictated them seems a bit cowardly. 9/11 is already dramatic; making slight changes doesn't create drama, it distracts from it. Maybe it's because I finished it today, but I don't know what it adds to the discussion.