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A Fashion of Bastards
When Lacey Ames arrives in Washington to 'marry up' and take a job on Capitol Hill, she looks poised to capture the fast-fading American dream. Her handsome fiance has already hitched their wagon to Vice President Marvin's rising star, and her new boss, popular Senator George, has given her the assignment of her to protect the mysteriously dwindling Great Lakes.
Add to the mix old law school friend Jezzebo Karadjordje, the feisty bi-sexual author, and new friend Nelson Peck, the dashing but cynical linguist from the Kennedy-esque Peck-Adams clan, and Lacey has the beginnings of a posse to boot, not to mention a dazzling pool of tempting potential lovers that includes the infamously irresistible Senator George himself. But Lacey soon wonders if anyone but her dog can be trusted as her new life collides with a secret government plot to gain total control of the world's largest oil supplies.
From solving a soldier shortage by drafting 'illegal' immigrants to selling a private pipeline into Lake Michigan and framing Japan for terrorism, Lacey's opposition will do absolutely anything to achieve their goals. The question is what will Lacey do to achieve hers? Nothing and no one is spared as A Fashion of Bastards drags current U.S. culture clashes over energy, immigration, gender ethics, warfare and water kicking and screaming to their logical, over-the-top conclusions.
Whether a reader is male or female, progressive or conservative, white, black, brown, red, yellow or green, A Fashion of Bastards provides an equal opportunity for all to laugh (and scream) at our beloved democracy and the ordinary human frailty that derails it.
From THE CULTURE BUZZ
Bounding onto the international literary scene is an alluring new force by the name of Joanna Louise Johnson. A Fashion of Bastards is nimble, quick-witted and absolutely irresistible. A Fashion of Bastards quickly draws the reader into a world of political power-brokering at its intriguing best, or, worst, depending on your view. It also begs the question, when does high level, self-serving manipulation reach the tipping point of permanent harm to our planet? Johnson's double-edged sword is a first-rate page-turner while giving the reader respectful pause for thought about our environmental vulnerabilities.
Part of Johnson's appeal is how quickly her characters spring to life, quickly weaving them into a rich tapestry on an electrically charged political stage. The dialogue is believable and natural, and, while the action unfolds in an arena to which few of us truly are privy, we experience a privileged surveillance into what could really happen behind those Washington DC closed doors. The irresistible Lacey Ames anchors Johnson's masterful first work, instantly layered with an appeal (leaving me hoping for her quick return in future adventures). She is resilient; a woman of vitality and keen intelligence, yet she shares an inner voice, playfully unveiling personal foibles and insecurities. Lacey is soft-hearted, yet protected with a Kevlar determination. Her personal default allows her to back down to no one, yet Lacey radiates a vulnerability which often works to her advantage. Intolerant toward pretense and posturing, she quickly realizes that fitting into her new world of politics often challenges her core traits.
A Fashion of Bastards quickly spins into a dizzying interplay of manic maneuvering, as factions broker to claim leverage and power, often paid for by human and environmental capital. Johnson effectively blends such diverse locations as a Japanese coastal village with a despoiled Western mining operation and the Oval Office with Lake Michigan, concocting an international thriller that leaves the reader dizzy with its intoxicating effect.
So, toast the new darling of political intrigue and action. Even if you toast only with water, your first sip of Johnson's work will leave you thirsting for more.
Add to the mix old law school friend Jezzebo Karadjordje, the feisty bi-sexual author, and new friend Nelson Peck, the dashing but cynical linguist from the Kennedy-esque Peck-Adams clan, and Lacey has the beginnings of a posse to boot, not to mention a dazzling pool of tempting potential lovers that includes the infamously irresistible Senator George himself. But Lacey soon wonders if anyone but her dog can be trusted as her new life collides with a secret government plot to gain total control of the world's largest oil supplies.
From solving a soldier shortage by drafting 'illegal' immigrants to selling a private pipeline into Lake Michigan and framing Japan for terrorism, Lacey's opposition will do absolutely anything to achieve their goals. The question is what will Lacey do to achieve hers? Nothing and no one is spared as A Fashion of Bastards drags current U.S. culture clashes over energy, immigration, gender ethics, warfare and water kicking and screaming to their logical, over-the-top conclusions.
Whether a reader is male or female, progressive or conservative, white, black, brown, red, yellow or green, A Fashion of Bastards provides an equal opportunity for all to laugh (and scream) at our beloved democracy and the ordinary human frailty that derails it.
From THE CULTURE BUZZ
Bounding onto the international literary scene is an alluring new force by the name of Joanna Louise Johnson. A Fashion of Bastards is nimble, quick-witted and absolutely irresistible. A Fashion of Bastards quickly draws the reader into a world of political power-brokering at its intriguing best, or, worst, depending on your view. It also begs the question, when does high level, self-serving manipulation reach the tipping point of permanent harm to our planet? Johnson's double-edged sword is a first-rate page-turner while giving the reader respectful pause for thought about our environmental vulnerabilities.
Part of Johnson's appeal is how quickly her characters spring to life, quickly weaving them into a rich tapestry on an electrically charged political stage. The dialogue is believable and natural, and, while the action unfolds in an arena to which few of us truly are privy, we experience a privileged surveillance into what could really happen behind those Washington DC closed doors. The irresistible Lacey Ames anchors Johnson's masterful first work, instantly layered with an appeal (leaving me hoping for her quick return in future adventures). She is resilient; a woman of vitality and keen intelligence, yet she shares an inner voice, playfully unveiling personal foibles and insecurities. Lacey is soft-hearted, yet protected with a Kevlar determination. Her personal default allows her to back down to no one, yet Lacey radiates a vulnerability which often works to her advantage. Intolerant toward pretense and posturing, she quickly realizes that fitting into her new world of politics often challenges her core traits.
A Fashion of Bastards quickly spins into a dizzying interplay of manic maneuvering, as factions broker to claim leverage and power, often paid for by human and environmental capital. Johnson effectively blends such diverse locations as a Japanese coastal village with a despoiled Western mining operation and the Oval Office with Lake Michigan, concocting an international thriller that leaves the reader dizzy with its intoxicating effect.
So, toast the new darling of political intrigue and action. Even if you toast only with water, your first sip of Johnson's work will leave you thirsting for more.
Kindle Edition
First published September 8, 2010
2 people want to read
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