Billy seems to have reconciled the irreconcilable. As an anti-war narrative, then, S-5 suggests that you'd have to be from Tralfamadore to digest humanity's brutality. Although KV writes about WWII, while thinking about Vietnam, the text is timeless, and the humor is singular.

Oscar immediately becomes an all-time favorite character. His sister, Lola, is wonderfully written as well. While Diaz's writing may not be breath-taking, his complex narrative begs to be examined in an effort to better understand why Oscar is not always front and center.