No Generation

by Ryan Melsom

If you could open up to anyone, who would it be and what would you say? Each character in No Generation takes a crack at these questions, and each successive response paints an image of a world that constantly shifts between moments of connection and total alienation. Zee dreads Bugso, a psychopathic hustler who kills street kids for fun. Brent spouts mediocre word poetry that flips seamlessly between video games and modern warfare. Kristina shares the ins and outs of being a B-List celebrity. While a few are only concerned with how they're going to get drugs or sex on a given day, there's also a current of a highly guarded spirituality running throughout the novel's stories. These are people who constantly have their lives branded and sold back to them, and their suspicion runs high when it comes to leaving their thoughts exposed.

The novel features 94 people from all walks: students, bloggers, cops, visionaries, street kids, travelers, teen moms, fundamentalists, occupiers, and a lot more. Some are driven by fear, others by care for the world. Most are trying to be truthful, but no single perspective is necessarily the right one. Indeed, it's a book that's written for a world that's highly diverse and customizable.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00EC424R2/

274 pages, Paperback

First published August 4, 2013

About the author

Ryan Melsom has never stopped dreaming about new ways he could get ideas out of his head and into the world. He holds a PhD in literature from Queen’s University and has long been fascinated with the interplay between culture, technology, spirituality, spaces, and human nature. Through the years he has explored these topics through numerous creative media, including two works of fiction, academic writing, experimental web spaces, music projects, blogging, and a black belt in karate. He grew up in Kamloops, British Columbia, and now lives in Ottawa, Canada with his wife and two boys.

Connect with him on Bluesky, Facebook, and Instagram @ryanmelsom.

Reviews

[Jeff · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow, how to rate a book like this, a novel that speaks to us from a myriad of cultural microcosms in our world today? I will dare to venture that the opinions about this work will be almost as diverse as the characters that speak to us from within its pages. In some cases you'll say, "That sounds a lot like me"; in others, "That fits such and such to a T!" Some of these scenarios may offend you, some may give you hope. Does Ryan Melsom accurately convey the thoughts (generically, of course) of people around us? That's for somebody more world-wise than me to determine. What this book may well do is open our eyes to our neighbors near and far so that we may better understand them. It's up to us where we go from there.

(I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads)

[Annette · Rating 5 out of 5]

I got No Generation - A Novel as part of goodreads.com first reader program.

I had no expectation of No Generation (Ryan Melsom). Honestly I think my lack of expectation contribute to my enjoyment of this novel. Its an honest bash telling of the characters stories. Characters what we would have do difficultly identifying in our everyday life. There is no judgement, only the telling. That is what I enjoy mostly about No Generation.

[Elle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received the second edition of this book in exchange for an honest review

No Generation was a great departure from all the Millennial/GenY articles and books I have been reading this year. Somehow, every character was relatable- even the crazy ones! Each chapter is named after a character and they share their personal story or perspective of the world. My favorite quote: "Honestly, I feel like the word has eaten my future. My friends are all in the same weird no-fly zone except for Anis, who went into business and now has, like, six job interviews." It took me a few chapters to get use to the format of "no plot, no main characters." It's interesting how well Melsom writes about American culture, as a Canadian. Well balanced mixture of humor, sentiment, and inspiration. The novel shows that this generation can't be put into one category of people, as we all think, act, and behave differently.