American War

Omar El Akkad McCelland & Stewart

Omar El Akkad’s dystopian debut novel is engrossing enough to keep you occupied through the dog days of summer. El Akkad, an award-winning Canadian journalist, sets this epic tale 60 years in the future when tensions escalate into a second U.S. civil war. But while the existing divisions in the U.S. give the book context, American War is fairly apolitical in exploring the harrowing impact of conflict, particularly on the losing side. At the heart is a dark coming-of-age tale about an energetic and curious young girl’s slow corruption by hatred and fear. Not a light read, but hard to put down.