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kelly_e's review against another edition
dark
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
Title: American War
Author: Omar El Akkad
Genre: Dystopian
Rating: 3.75
Pub Date: January 30, 2018
T H R E E • W O R D S
Plausible • Unsettling • Inventive
📖 S Y N O P S I S
Narrated by Benjamin Chestnut, an older man living in neutral Anchorage in the aftermath of the war, American War begins in 2074 in a post-apocalyptic world where climate change was wrecked havoc on the coastal United States. In an attempt to halt emissions, the government has banned the use of fossil fuels, greatly upsetting the Southern states. Sarat Chestnut is only six as the second American civil war breaks out, and soon finds her and her family forced into the sprawling tent city known as Camp Patience.
💭 T H O U G H T S
What a fierce and powerful cautionary tale from debut novelist Omar El Akkad!
I didn't expect this to be a book for me, but I was pleasantly surprised. While reading, the storyline felt eerily plausible with a future America torn by it's own political tribulations, climate change, plague, and power struggles and conflict. It forced me to imagine the uncomfortable realities of our current world and the complex ruins and implications of war at many different levels. The writing and the story are equally powerful.
My one qualm would be that it was overly detailed at times, but other times there were gaps in the world building. Overall, a solid read worth picking up.
📚 R E C O M M E N D • T O
• dystopian fans
• readers who enjoyed The Underground Railroad
🔖 F A V O U R I T E • Q U O T E S
"You fight the war with guns, you fight the peace with stories."
Author: Omar El Akkad
Genre: Dystopian
Rating: 3.75
Pub Date: January 30, 2018
T H R E E • W O R D S
Plausible • Unsettling • Inventive
📖 S Y N O P S I S
Narrated by Benjamin Chestnut, an older man living in neutral Anchorage in the aftermath of the war, American War begins in 2074 in a post-apocalyptic world where climate change was wrecked havoc on the coastal United States. In an attempt to halt emissions, the government has banned the use of fossil fuels, greatly upsetting the Southern states. Sarat Chestnut is only six as the second American civil war breaks out, and soon finds her and her family forced into the sprawling tent city known as Camp Patience.
💭 T H O U G H T S
What a fierce and powerful cautionary tale from debut novelist Omar El Akkad!
I didn't expect this to be a book for me, but I was pleasantly surprised. While reading, the storyline felt eerily plausible with a future America torn by it's own political tribulations, climate change, plague, and power struggles and conflict. It forced me to imagine the uncomfortable realities of our current world and the complex ruins and implications of war at many different levels. The writing and the story are equally powerful.
My one qualm would be that it was overly detailed at times, but other times there were gaps in the world building. Overall, a solid read worth picking up.
📚 R E C O M M E N D • T O
• dystopian fans
• readers who enjoyed The Underground Railroad
🔖 F A V O U R I T E • Q U O T E S
"You fight the war with guns, you fight the peace with stories."
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Torture, and Violence
Moderate: Grief, Death of parent, and War
Minor: Homophobia, Racial slurs, Racism, and Rape
grayscale08's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Forced institutionalization
Moderate: Bullying, Cursing, Death, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Xenophobia, Excrement, Kidnapping, and War