wafflepolly's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
reflective
medium-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
4.25
I think this is one of those books that is going to stay in my head for a long time. I strongly recommend listening to the NPR Throughline podcast episode "Extremist Futures" which features some really insightful input from the author about his thoughts, metaphors, and own experiences behind the book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Torture, War, and Death
Moderate: Genocide, Death of parent, Confinement, and Grief
cara_elaine's review against another edition
challenging
dark
reflective
tense
medium-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
4.0
a twisted and disturbing idea of what our future could hold. set in the near future- the book details what another american civil war and splintering of the country could be.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Grief, Death, Gun violence, and War
Minor: Medical trauma
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: Violence, Death, and Torture
Moderate: Death of parent, War, and Grief
Minor: Homophobia, Racism, Rape, and Racial slurs
keegan53's review against another edition
challenging
dark
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
An amazing book. The world building is fantastic and there is amazing character development. So well crafted.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Cursing, Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Grief, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Excrement, Kidnapping, Alcohol, Blood, Car accident, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Torture, Racism, Terminal illness, Violence, Mental illness, Self harm, Sexual content, War, and Murder
egleezy's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
medium-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
4.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Violence, War, Grief, and Death of parent
pollyandthebooks's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence
Moderate: Sexual violence, War, Torture, Police brutality, Murder, Mental illness, Grief, Genocide, Death of parent, and Child death
hmatt's review against another edition
dark
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Incredibly powerful. This is such a hard but also necessary time to read this sort of work - or just this work, in particular. I read quite a bit of speculative fiction and I still can't quite compare this book to much else. Think World War Z, but closer to home, more realistic, and more political. I was wowed at how I could both disagree with the protagonists and also empathize with them (the mark of great characterization, IMO).
If you like audiobooks, it's short-ish and extremely well narrated. Plot-wise, it almost lost me about two-thirds of the way through, but quickly turned back around and tied everything together.
If you like audiobooks, it's short-ish and extremely well narrated. Plot-wise, it almost lost me about two-thirds of the way through, but quickly turned back around and tied everything together.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Torture, Physical abuse, and Confinement
Moderate: Death, Genocide, Grief, Gun violence, and Mass/school shootings
Minor: Suicide
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