OTHER BOOK

I remembered the other book I read. It was The Plot Against America. I will start with what this book is not. It is not a Man in the High Castle, Harry Tutledovesque creation of an alternative universe. There are very few facts that Roth needs to create to take you into the world of the book. Therefore, fans of alternative history will be disappointed. This takes me to the second thing I don't think this book is. Namely, criticism of the current U.S. administration.

I think this book is an exercise by Roth in the dynamics of a family (his in particular) in contemplating a different reality. Take it only for that (i.e. on its own terms) and it is a pretty enjoyable book. The characters are pretty developed, the story is internally cohesive, and Roth does not feel the need to tie the loose historical ends up. Instead, he writes about a family and leaves his story with that family.

I would say this is between a borrow and a buy.