Released: 4th April 2017
Number of Pages: 333
Genre: Fiction, Dystopian, War
American War, Omar El Akkad’s take on the dystopian future, draws from both modern issues and historical events, imagining a second civil war placed against the backdrop of destructive climate change. At first it seems like an engaging tale, but the core narrative leaves much to be desired.
We follow a young woman named Sarat Chestut, a downtrodden refugee of America’s southern regions. Florida has been flooded by rising seawater and Louisiana has been reduced to a handful of tiny settlements clinging to life. In the early 2070s, the South seceded from the union, clinging on to their vital supply of fossil fuels after they were banned by the rest of the nation. Against this backdrop, her family eventually decides to leave, heading to a Mississippi facility called Camp Patience; there they discover just how brutal the north’s wrath can be.
The plot unfolds over many years, with excerpts from various government documents and news reports fleshing out the setting. The author weaves a ton of detail into the lead perspective. As Sarat learns more about her foes in the north and resolves to fight her own battles we witness her internal breakdown; the trauma she experiences and the vicious resolve that slowly builds. The same detail is also applied to the set pieces which are all presented in gruesome detail. Brutality is a regular fixture which emphasises the way America has turned in on itself with violent consequences for much of the population.
Despite the vivid descriptions of both environments and characters, it’s difficult to fully invest in the story. American War relies heavily on common archetypes; the revered soldier destined to change the course of the nation, the brutal oppressors with few redeeming qualities and the countless innocents caught in-between. There needed to be a greater focus on morally grey motivations to create further intrigue. The weakest element is the tacked-on slice of revenge towards the end. This aims to tie back to the opening but it takes place from a perspective we haven’t had much time to know. As a result, the ultimate outcome is heavily neutered.
Recommended?
MAYBE: When you take away its more brutal and sadistic elements, American War struggles to tell its post-apocalyptic story with depth and nuance. On occasion, the characters do show their strong bonds but they have been placed into an imprecise and ultimately frustrating narrative. It is certainly a very dark, nihilistic novel, one that will perhaps resonate more with American audiences.
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