A review by lexiloveslit
America Fantastica by Tim O'Brien

3.5

Think of the most satire-y satire you’ve ever read, add in a whole slate of the most (purposefully) unlikeable characters you’ve ever encountered, and then crank it all up a couple notches. 

The book’s humor is dark and dry, and its reflections on dishonesty and distrust are timely and piercing. The core of the story is focused on a nationwide “epidemic” of lying and complacency towards violence and prejudice — a highly exaggerated but nonetheless relevant concept for the moment. 

I’ve seen this book compared to a Tarantino or a Coen brothers film, and that absolutely makes sense to me. For me personally, it was kind of a lot. The irony and satire (not to mention the violence, language, and sexual content) was fairly aggressive and could get repetitive for my taste. But I think folks who are more into the Tarantino/Coen style than I am would end up REALLY enjoying this one! If that’s not really your thing, this particular read might not be your cup of tea. 

Thanks to the author, Mariner, and NetGalley for my digital copy. America Fantastica publishes on TUESDAY (10/24)!