4 out of 4 stars
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All The Dark We Will Not See by Michael B. Neff is a densely packed political satire that captures the disillusionment and corruption of Reagan era politics. Neff uses his first-hand experience (working in Washington, D.C. during the Carter, Reagan, Bush and Clinton administrations) to give readers a truly unique inside look into the changing political climate of the 1980s.
The storyline centers around a naive young man named Edison Eden, who considers himself a natural whistleblower and a seeker of justice. After failing to maintain employment in his home state of Wisconsin, he decides the perfect job for him is at The Office of Whistleblowers Counsel (OWC) in Washington, D.C. Unfortunately, his faith in America and ideals are shaken once he is introduced to the politics within his office and Washington, D.C. area.
Neff does an excellent job showcasing the materialistic, narcissistic, and looks-over-substance vibe that ruled the 1980s. The reader is brought into this glittering plastic world and is shown its slimy underbelly. It is an uncomfortable read that highlights the gross misinterpretation of laws for the purpose of corruption, political gain, and corporate greed.
The writing style is part exquisitely written prose, fever dream, and includes a dose of realism to keep the storyline cohesive. The vocabulary used is expansive and a lot of the references felt more suited for insiders of the time period. The most interesting and captivating part of the novel is the way Neff uses point of view, which is alternated between second and third person. The use of second person allows the reader to be an extension of the character and obtain an odd sense of disassociation that was absolutely perfect for this novel. There are several other writing technique employed to keep the text feeling fresh. For example, poetry, journals, and letters all add to the depth and texture of this book.
The characters were all interesting with unusual and vivid descriptions that served to describe their personalities and physical appearance- adding some much needed comic relief. The overall tone is a feeling of a slow descent into insanity while desperately clinging to the moral and ethical sense of self. The chapter titles are broken into several parts summarizing what is to come.
I rate this book 4 out of 4 stars. I knew about the corruption during Reagan’s Presidency but this book was a whole different level of eye-opening. It is not a light read and it is upsetting, but it is one of those unusual reading experiences I would never want to give up. I recommend it to people that are curious about politics and those seeking an unusual reading experience.
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All The Dark We Will Not See
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