This has got to be the worst novel (er...book) that I have ever
read. I bought it based on a recommendation made on a podcast of
the Economist. The story line is intriguing: in the near future
(2032 I think) a newly elected American president is made aware of
just how dire the status of global warming is, and so he has to
cope with the imminent effects of global warming and flooding of
coastal cities not just in the states but around the world. Sounds
good eh? Seems like the idea could provide rich material for an
author to construct a story replete with human suffering on a grand
scale, explore what it would be like to experience such a
catastrophe, create inspirational heroes, right?
Wrong.
The novel is essentially just a series of very dry conversations
with no attempt at artful design. The conversations deal almost
exclusively with, if you can believe this, policy directions that
the government should/could take to avoid the crisis. The author
fails to convey any urgency, the implication is that even in 2032,
the effects of global warming, although accelerating, are still
5-10 years in the future. The characters are thoroughly one
dimensional (the president never seems to get off the campaign
trail, even after the election, even when talking to his family;
everything he says sounds like a political cliché or a policy
position). The dialogue and descriptions are often trite. (Who
cares what floor the hotel room is on? What relevance does this
fact have??) In particular the descriptions of the characters (and
there are oh so many of them, all introduced with firsts and last
names: Joe Benton, John Eales, Jodie Ames, Sam Levy, Hilary Battle,
Amanda Pavlich, Battle's spokeperson Ewen MacMaster, Connor Gale
Chen Liangming, Ben Hoffman, Dr. Richards, Hugh Ogilvie,Mike
Gartner, Angela Chavez, Ray Travis, Larry Olsen, Steve Naylor,
Jackie Ruben, Alan Ball, President Wen, Al Graham, Kay Wilson, Adam
Gehrig, Josh Singer it just goes on and on…) always focus
predominantly on the professional biographies. The character
descriptions read almost like the biographies one finds in
promotional material for conferences. The only drama in this novel
seems to happen when one character "glances impatiently" at
another. The chapter where the characters edit the inaugural speech
is stunning, I think I read it with a dropped jaw, and probably
best illustrates just how bad the writing is.
Ah, and the author has invented a new word: "nother", its not "an
other", it's not "other".
I am on page 174 and cannot continue.