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A review by shellballenger
The Plot Against America by Philip Roth
informative
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
<b> Type of read: </b> Commuter Read.
<b> What made me pick it up: </b> One of the prompts for the TN R.E.A.D.s challenge is to read an alternative history novel and 'The Plot Against America' caught my eye.
<b> Overall rating: </b> Let's start out with the obvious - I had to keep reminding myself that 'The Plot Against America' is fiction. Roth writes it in such a way that you feel as though you're being retold something by your grandfather. This book has a beautifully bland recollection quality - almost as if you were sat down at Sunday supper with your family and suddenly found out that your grandfather has this whole other life that you never even knew about. The casualness is one of the things that makes 'The Plot Against America' seem scarily real.
I did find I had to do this book in chunks and couldn't take on super long marathon sessions; however, I think that was more because of the audio and how I take in tones (the narrator was fabulous but they had a tone and cadence that was very mellow and somewhat monotone - in the best sort of way - and that made it to where it was easier for me to zone out). Because of this, I wish the chapters were broken down into more manageable chunks, or there was more breathing room in the audio. I did listen to it at 1.25 speed, which isn't uncommon for me, and I still struggled to find natural pauses that didn't occur right at the chapter breaks.
'The Plot Against America' is an extremely slow-moving tale of what the world may have looked like if Charles A. Lindbergh defeated Franklin Roosevelt in the 1940. I do think Roth could have made their point, and their story, stronger with a bit of editing to remove a bit of the mundanity.
Overall, I would recommend 'The Plot Against America' but with a few caveats due to the pacing and content of the book.
<b> Reader's Note: </b> 'The Plot Against America' includes themes of antisemitism, war, and prejudice. There is also some language that is used in the book that definitely fits the time and theme of 1940s America but that may not be as common or accepted with today's general audience.
<b> What made me pick it up: </b> One of the prompts for the TN R.E.A.D.s challenge is to read an alternative history novel and 'The Plot Against America' caught my eye.
<b> Overall rating: </b> Let's start out with the obvious - I had to keep reminding myself that 'The Plot Against America' is fiction. Roth writes it in such a way that you feel as though you're being retold something by your grandfather. This book has a beautifully bland recollection quality - almost as if you were sat down at Sunday supper with your family and suddenly found out that your grandfather has this whole other life that you never even knew about. The casualness is one of the things that makes 'The Plot Against America' seem scarily real.
I did find I had to do this book in chunks and couldn't take on super long marathon sessions; however, I think that was more because of the audio and how I take in tones (the narrator was fabulous but they had a tone and cadence that was very mellow and somewhat monotone - in the best sort of way - and that made it to where it was easier for me to zone out). Because of this, I wish the chapters were broken down into more manageable chunks, or there was more breathing room in the audio. I did listen to it at 1.25 speed, which isn't uncommon for me, and I still struggled to find natural pauses that didn't occur right at the chapter breaks.
'The Plot Against America' is an extremely slow-moving tale of what the world may have looked like if Charles A. Lindbergh defeated Franklin Roosevelt in the 1940. I do think Roth could have made their point, and their story, stronger with a bit of editing to remove a bit of the mundanity.
Overall, I would recommend 'The Plot Against America' but with a few caveats due to the pacing and content of the book.
<b> Reader's Note: </b> 'The Plot Against America' includes themes of antisemitism, war, and prejudice. There is also some language that is used in the book that definitely fits the time and theme of 1940s America but that may not be as common or accepted with today's general audience.