Review: America

America by Mike Bond
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

I received an ARC Kindle edition of this book from NetGalley.

Normally, I do not put descriptions of the book in my reviews, but since it is not yet showing on Goodreads, here it is from NetGalley's website:

Description

Four young people come of age in the 1960s, a decade that shook America to its foundation – the assassination of an idealistic young president, a tragic and unpopular war, a battle for civil rights, a cosmic clash of riots and burning cities, and an explosion of sex, drugs and rock’n roll.

Celebrated author Mike Bond’s AMERICA is the first in his seven-volume historical novel series of the lives of these four people and many others through the victories and heartbreaks of the last 70 years, and of our nation’s most profound upheavals since the Civil War – a time that defined the end of the 20th Century and where we are today.

Trigger Warnings: pedophilia involving a priest, descriptions of hunting deer, abortion

Prior to starting this book, I had read that this was to be the first of a series of seven books. I was excited to start this because I like historical fictions and learning tidbits about times I was not around for. Maybe I set my expectations too high.

At the 48% mark I found myself wondering what the point of this story is. Now that I am finished here is what I took away:

Mike: can be smart when he wants to be, prefers to be outdoors and reckless, and his existence revolves around sex

Troy: the exceptionally intelligent, disciplined military man

Tara: is (almost) Jenny from Forrest Gump (Before anyone asks, no. Not Jenny from the Block)

Daisy: abused as a child, running from her past life or being selfless and helping the world? You decide.

The majority of the book (in my estimation) centers around Mick and it's not at all interesting unless you like to read about sexcapade after sexcapade. With the little story (compared to Mick) we get about Tara and Daisy, they too are reduced to acts of sex that rarely adds to the story.

Since I still fail to see the point or take away of this book, I have an honest question. Do these four characters truly define coming of age in the '60s?

There is an excerpt for the next book of the series. It appears to pick up where this one leaves off. It appears to pick up where this one leaves off. I'm not entirely sure I am going to continue on.

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