A review by megan_jessop
Odsburg by Matt Tompkins

4.0

Matt Tompkins ability to use intrigue and whimsy through "the world's first and only socio-anthropo-lingui-lore-ologist", Wallace Jenkins Ross is nothing short of genius. He stages the novel in such a way that readers are drawn in and submerged with various documented artifacts that give us a glimpse into the strange happenings of the fictional town of Odsburg, Washington. Tompkins places all of these artifacts in such a way that it reads as a report of an anthropologist via a collection of transcribed short stories and conversations, along with other interviews or quirky supernatural-like events and observances. Many of the stories seem to be otherworldly or almost psychedelic at times in such a way that would appeal to listeners of podcasts that showcase true crime or the mysterious and unexplained--such as the existence of aliens or the Loch Ness Monster. The happenings of Odsburg are equally unexplainable... with a few possible explanations that Tompkins leaves up to the readers to decide. With many of these stories and findings holding the pharmaceutical company Odsmore at the periphery, one has to wonder at the benefits and problems surrounding medical advances and drug testing and how those play into the lives of the inhabitants of Odsburg. Tompkins choice to structure the novel as an anthropological-like report gives a sense of suspended disbelief where readers know that they are reading fiction, but it causes you to doubt what you think you know or rather what you are sure of, I had to flip from pages to cover multiple times to remember who the true author of the book was: Wallace Jenkins Ross or Matt Tompkins?? This was brilliantly done and falls in step perfectly with the overall themes and tone of the novel. Tompkins writing style pivoted fluidly between a casual, conversational tone and that of a profoundly poetic existentialist. In every sentence and every page, however, I was drawn in. Some sections made me shake my head, while others had me laughing with delight, while still others left me in thought-provoking awe at his ability to grapple with the world around us, fictional or otherwise. This was such a fun and intriguing read. I definitely recommend that everyone should read this, especially if you are looking for a little wild escapism during the current pandemic!