msbethreads's review against another edition
3.0
Really enjoyed it - bit of a sad exploration of the changes wrought by the very young going to war. I didn't mind the disjointed changes in style and pacing. I thought it was a good mimicry of the way memory works. How some things from 10 years ago can be crystal clear and something just one year ago is a hazy maybe happened. But the results are still there.
kokod's review against another edition
4.0
It's like Jesus's Son gone to war. Raw and gritty. This was a tough one to get through, but it was well worth it.
amarasanti's review against another edition
2.0
I would give this a 3 for his writing style. Very unique and it was actually one of the reasons that I kept reading the book. I'm not a big fan of books relating to war so I quickly read over certain parts. If you are someone who enjoys this genre, then I would say this is a good book for you. I have to think that the way this book was written will be different than most others and would suggest taking a look at it. It is definitely honest and doesn't sugar coat anything so if you are easily offended, this won't be for you. If he writes any other books on different subjects, I will definitely check them out.
chelseamartinez's review against another edition
3.0
Painful to read as it is creatively structured; unlike other creative fiction/nonfiction about serving in the US military this book is somewhat non-linear and plays around with listicles, diagrams, a landscape format, imagined dialogues, etc.
(i enjoyed the many bulleted lists with 1 bullet and the lists with a 1. heading followed by i. subheading; somehow that communicated incoherence/attention deficit in a special way)
I know there's a lot I could read about the Iraq war that's more technical and likely WAY MORE hard to read; I could learn about military tactics, or the specific events in which Iraqi civilians were killed, or statistics on career paths for 21st century veterans in the US. Young doesn't make the reader feel guilty for not knowing these things; this is a memoir of a person who escaped into the military and then had a harder time escaping out of it. I know this is not an *average* servicepersons' story, but I will still try to keep it in mind when students of mine are veterans (and also when my brother, who lives down near where the Marine base described here is mentioned regales me with tales of asshole drivers...he's right to be on defense on the roads down there, apparently!)
(i enjoyed the many bulleted lists with 1 bullet and the lists with a 1. heading followed by i. subheading; somehow that communicated incoherence/attention deficit in a special way)
I know there's a lot I could read about the Iraq war that's more technical and likely WAY MORE hard to read; I could learn about military tactics, or the specific events in which Iraqi civilians were killed, or statistics on career paths for 21st century veterans in the US. Young doesn't make the reader feel guilty for not knowing these things; this is a memoir of a person who escaped into the military and then had a harder time escaping out of it. I know this is not an *average* servicepersons' story, but I will still try to keep it in mind when students of mine are veterans (and also when my brother, who lives down near where the Marine base described here is mentioned regales me with tales of asshole drivers...he's right to be on defense on the roads down there, apparently!)
brimgagnon's review against another edition
5.0
This reminded me a lot of Brave Deeds, which I really enjoyed. This memoir is really cool stylistically, which made turning ever page interesting. I really liked this memoir, which gave me a lot of insight into the mind of a Marine deployed in Iraq. I wanted to use this for my display in my library but I think patrons may be scandalized by some of the things they read in this
aurifela's review against another edition
5.0
I was in the Navy, not the Marines. This accurately describes what I saw and felt while deployed. Incredibly well written.
p0tat0's review against another edition
3.0
This book opened my eyes to a lot I didn't know about the experience of being in the military and the tolls in takes on soldiers emotionally and psychologically. One detail I thought was particularly moving was how Young felt pressured to make up stories about his experience in Iraq to be able to fulfill the expectations of others (friends, family, etc.) and how especially alienating that was for him.
richardwells's review against another edition
3.0
An honest memoir. A few stylistic tics in the first chapters struck me as MFA originality, but pretty straightforward after that. Another look at another ugly war written by a Marine who seems to have gotten out soul intact.
chloehamburn's review against another edition
4.0
Unsurprisingly, I really enjoyed this war memoir of a Marine deployed to Iraq. I understand the mixed reviews re: the story, the writing, etc, but this book spoke to me, probably because I am military and also because I care about Iraq. And the boot camp scenes? Hilarious because I've been there and know exactly what he's talking about. The whole book read like that to me, which made it enjoyable, but it also me wonder how the public at large, who does not speak military culture, understood Matt Young. I hope that they did, because he has a view on the military that is, let's say, the road less taken. A quick read with relatable content, and exactly what I needed during these busy times.