Welcome to Litsy!

This devastating work of speculative fiction imagines a future America torn by a 2nd Civil War, where a young girl from Louisiana grows up in a refugee camp, becomes radicalized, and carries out a horrific act of terrorism. A powerful story that flips the perspective on the unseen damage wreaked by wars abroad, the innocent victims masked by terms like collateral damage. The reason for the war (fossil fuels) seems less vital than the brutal cost.

#2022Book119
It doesn‘t take much for me to get sucked into a dystopian novel, but this one came with an extra layer of interest for me. When I started it, I figured the author was just pulling from current events, considering the book is about a second American Civil War, after the country has been ripped apart by a pandemic and political insurrection. Then I realized this book was published in 2017, long before Covid or January 6th.

I have had this for a while, so I thought O would give it a try. I have about five unfinished books going…so of course, let‘s start another!

I can‘t say what it was about this book, but I loved it.

Started this morning and liking it so far.

#conflictedworlds #war
@Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks @Eggs

#TBRPile 📚 2074. America‘s future is civil war. Sarat‘s reality is survival. They took her father, they took her home, they told her lies... She didn‘t start this war, but she‘ll end it.

Fireside reading in my slippers. Attempting my first book for #BookSpin. May try the bingo but I‘d first like to see how I go with just the two books. Have considered trying this book for many years and when I found it on the 3 for 2 shelf at my bookstore, I just had to get it. Anyone read this one?

This took a while to unpack- the story is rough to take once you figure you‘re protagonist is ruthless but you have to admit that you would have been part of that which made her ruthless. Somehow I think this book has a lesson for right now- it‘s just a bitter pill to swallow.

I liked the first half, but I didn‘t like Sarat as she grew up. I didn‘t like the people she was associating with/learning from; I didn‘t like the things she was doing. It was a bit boring for a portion after the refugee camp, where the focus of the book really was on the war. (Trying to stay away from spoilers!), it got slightly better for a bit, but I was confused toward the end. Not sure I liked the end, either. Overall, I‘m considering it ok.

Sarat is an unforgettable character unlike others I have met in literature.

Hard to read during coronavirus, difficult at times but still a neat story. Interested to see what the author has in store in the future.

I'm not always strong enough to want to spend time in this genre - but there's some good choices here for when I am.

https://www.theguardian.com/books/2020/feb/12/top-10-books-of-eco-fiction?utm_te...

I was hoping for a little scifi or a touch less realism at least, as I had heard this was dystopian. I suppose maybe it is in its own way.

It reads like a historical account of a second US civil war, told about 100 years from now. I liked the parts about Sarat and her life and family, but I didn‘t care for the interspersed tidbits from soldiers and survivors in the war. Really I think this book was quite good, just not what I was looking for.

#weeklyforecast @Cinfhen

I‘m 280 pages in to my current #chunkster Golden Fool 💛 and just barely into the tagged book. I think my forecast says I‘ll be lucky if I make it through these two by Saturday. We‘ll see!

🌟🌟I liked the idea of this book, but not its application. I felt so disconnected from the characters that I was really slogging through the story. The narrator already gives away everything interesting that's going to happen in the beginning and there is much telling and no feeling. Maybe it's supposed to be so impersonal? It just didn't work for me.

Good but very sad. I still am not sure how I feel about some of the characters.. This wasn‘t quite what I was expecting from this book though. Very sad and trigger warning for torture and gore.

Making progress in American War while the fur baby sleeps and hubby plays games. Perfect Saturday for this introvert couple 😌 #dogsoflitsy #petsoflitsy

Homemade tomato soup and grilled cheese on this very rainy September day.

Current read. World building is King with this book. Dystopian fiction is one of my favorite genres and this one is interesting but it's not my favorite. I'm struggling to connect with the characters and there is very little happening. I mean there is a lot happening but so much is world building and very little is forward motion, plot, or conflict. It's certainly provocative though. Who's read this one?

Slow going in #24in48, only 3.5 hours through and taking an audiobook break.

In many ways, this is a bleak novel. Even so, I really enjoyed it. The imagined future of the planet as a result of climate change is entirely plausible and terrifying. The 2nd American Civil War is imagined as a byproduct of climate change. I loved the way this story was told and truths revealed along the way were done well. I call them truths, because they're not quite twists; but the story unfolds in such a way that I had several a-ha moments.

Began this last night before bed, and I have to say, I was sold by the end of the 1st page. I'm really enjoying this look at a dystopian US that is possible in many ways. I have so many questions! Hopefully they are addressed by the end!
#dystopian #BOTM (from 4/2017) #civilwar #recommendsday

American War offers a character driven plot that explores revolution, displacement, and the impending climate disaster. The rural southern setting evokes a place that is distant and cruel but familiar. It‘s a great book for exploring the traumatic effects of state sanctioned violence. I did want more exploration of the necessarily problematic racial politics of a “Free Southern State” though. Also this would complement Exit West very well.

Thanks for the tag @BookwormAHN ❤️

1) Sarat Chestnut
2) Love but man, she made it very hard. I spent most of the book very angry with her.
3) She goes through so much. Her life is hard and she‘s constantly having to protect herself and adapt to her situations. She has a rough personality and can be pretty unlikable. I learned to care deeply about her though. She‘s a survivor.
4) @JoScho @MichaelK

#WhatWouldYouDo @DannyHattan

“The universal slogan of war, she learned, was simple: if it had been you, you‘d have done no different.“

“There is no future, only three kinds of past- the distant past of heritage, the near past experience, and the past in waiting.”

This story was wild, a real look at what life could be if the United States ever goes to war with its self for a second time.

Brilliant in its delievery and execution, this story follows ine famiit as it endures a war, ir was never mean to be in. From living in a refugee camp, to being recruited to fight in the war as a young teen to revenge. This story gives a close up look at what desolation looks like up close and personal

Weekly Check-In:

Walked 47 miles total
Read: Furious Hours (Review forthcoming)
Still working on American War (hopefully, I'll be done by the end of this weekend)

Overall good week 3! Forward to week 4!

#BFC19 #BookFitnessChallenge
@wanderinglynn

This was a huge dud for me. It started out so promisingly and then just fizzled out. Sadly I find the premise of coastal cities being obliterated due to climate change a bit too realistic to take this as dystopian. I mean, it‘s the 3rd day in a row we‘re getting tornado warnings. IN PHILADELPHIA! 😡 But this was the 2nd book in a row that lacked a cohesive narrative and compelling characters. 😕 #clifi #booked2019

Yesterday I walked 7 miles today I ran/walked 1 mile and walked 5 miles.

I have read up to page 125 of American War.

Just started it and already regretting the fact that I‘ll have to take a break from it to score AP Lit essays in Salt Lake City in five days. Scoring 1500 high school essays kind of kills one‘s desire to read for about a week.

I bought some running shoes today.

So I am gonna start running.

Lets start by running for 15 minutes every day.

#BFC19 #BookFitnessChallenge

Walked 1 mile today. Not my best.

Let‘s do this #CliFi thing. #booked2019 #BookAndLunch

I didn‘t enjoy this book. The characters felt so flat. The world, for that matter, felt flat. I kept waiting for the story to become deeper or to be surprised by something. Neither happened.

What a fantastic conversation with my #GirlyBookClub this past week on this book - there was a lot to pick apart here. We all thought the author could have done a little more with it and while it‘s not my kind of book, the writing was outstanding.

This book hooked me. I have to say that the first 1/4 of it was my favourite and wholly engaging. After that it dropped slightly for me, but I still found it very interesting, and one of the most unique explorations of what a war can do to a person, and what a person may choose to do in light of her circumstances, that I‘ve read. Not perfect, but I very much enjoyed it.

I was hopeful about this one. It sounds like a great set up and an interesting story. The middle was very slow and I needed to skim a lot. The beginning and end are both very good!

Now this was an interesting read. Its set in the future where today's climatical concerns have been realised. Causing the American borders to change and civil war to break out. The premise makes you sit back and take stock of the current situation. It was well told, I loved the descriptions (had very clear images) and found the characters fantastic ( I wss concerned for them).

Now this an amazingly heavy, scary & not far-fetched enough story. Akkad brings the question of how radical terrorists are recruited home to rest in the American story. I wish he hadn‘t made the terrorist black as that feels too much like feeding into the racial expectations of our society. But I do love how he made her story completely understandable & relatable-I could see how this could of been anyone. Definitely a good, thought-provoking read.

Had to bail on this one. It just did not interest me. ☹️

That was really good and really creepy all at the same time. #botm

A book so good I had to get both Kindle and audio versions. Unfortunately for future generations, I think it could be an accurate predictor of events to come. #worldbuilding #epic #dystopia

Started this one yesterday and I‘m hooked. Kind of foreboding in a way. I can see things headed this way even though this is dystopian fiction.

1. Post pumpkin picking last weekend. My daughter has a fashion sense all her own...
2. Getting ready to start it tonight.
3. Hopefully nothing!
4. My pj pants
5. You take the good, you take the bad.....
#humpdaypost
@MinDea