AMERICA FANTASTICA - Tim O'Brien
Now Boyd and the teller, Angie Bing, are on the run. Boyd's only goal is to escape capture long enough to get even with the man he believes ruined his life. Chasing the duo are members of Boyd's ex-wife's family, and Angie's ex-fiancé. Who is NOT chasing the pair is the police. The bank trustees, who've been slowly liberating the bank of funds have not filed a report of the robbery.
From California to Mexico to California again to Minnesota, Boyd and Angie, who's making the absolute most of being a 'hostage':
When they settled in, Angie said, "I'll need fresh clothes tomorrow. Underwear and jeans and shirts and socks. And an electric toothbrush. And a new nose stud and probably a camera. And a good wristwatch."
Boyd grunted and closed his eyes. Angie Bing exhausted him.
"I'll need shoes, too," she said. "Casual ones, maybe sandals, and a couple pairs of decent heels - I like those spiky ones - and if we'll be eating out all the time - you know, like in restaurants - I'll need dresses and skirts and stuff, and a shawl for when it gets chilly at night, and a manicure set. And spending money."
An unpleasant taste rose in Boyd's throat. "What about going home? ... Don't you want that?"
"Of course I do. But until then - whenever 'then' is - I'll need things. I'll need an ankle bracelet."
This book is, as you might guess, a character-driven novel and oh boy, what great characters!
Author Tim O'Brien sets the tone early with his outlandish description of a contagion, the notice of a man who declares he's been crowned King of America, and the challenge of highway speed limits as an infringements on core liberties. Outlandish. And yet, is it?
It is only in this America, this America Fantastica, that Boyd and Angie could be 'real' people in a real situation, as absurd as that may be. And that's a huge part of the fun. What happens to them - what they create themselves - is no stranger than most of the rest of the country.
I've written before about 'liking' a character or set of characters in a book and how important that is to me. And I like these characters. They are not likeable as real world people - I wouldn't want to be around any of them - but characters in a book, 'real' to the story and the world, they are colorful, funny, annoying as hell, and I looked forward to turning the page to see what would happen next.
This is only my second Tim O'Brien book but it was a clever and charming (in its way) read.
Looking for a good book? America Fantastica by Tim O'Brien might be dark satire, might be realism - it depends on the world around you when you read it, but you should definitely read it.
I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher, through Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.
4-1/2 stars
* * * * * *
America Fantastica
author: Tim O'Brien
publisher: Mariner Books
ISBN: 9780063318502
hardcover, 464 pages
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