A review by buer
America Fantastica by Tim O'Brien

medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

America Fantastica follows several overlapping combinations of American men and women who all have two things in common: they're all liars and they're all either running away from or chasing something.

I wound up reading this in pretty much one sitting (on my phone, ow my eyes) after realizing that my library loan was about to expire and I was only about 100 pages in and honestly (aside from the screen-related eye strain), I think this book is best consumed quickly because there are so many characters to keep track of.

Tim O'Brien's dialogue is great: reading his more conversation heavy chapters often feels like reading a play. In typical O'Brien style, he explores difficult, charged subjects through the lens of ridiculous, often unlikable characters.

Honestly, if this wasn't an O'Brien book I probably wouldn't have enjoyed it as much as I did. This is also probably not a book that I would revisit, but I enjoyed reading it and I have a few people in my circles that I am recommending it to.

I would recommend this book for people who like Tim O'Brien, reading plays, and modern politically charged stories.