Gaza, Wyoming

by Seth Colter Walls

gonzo and alternative history novel Gaza, Wyoming, set in an alternate timeline where a Mitt Romney victory in the 2012 elections led to an dramatic foreign policy maneuver.

Genres: Fiction

235 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2015

Reviews

[Barry · Rating 4 out of 5]

Alternative history and political satire that's funny, on the nose, and dark.

[Owen Kurtz · Rating 3 out of 5]

As much as the clumsy prose and often-amateurish writing style make it abundantly clear that this is by a debut author and Pitchfork writer, this ended up being enjoyable. A dystopian world centered around the election of Mitt Romney leads to some ridiculous ideas to focus on in terms of interventionist immigration policies and action. There is some discussion of gender identity and politics that although well-intentioned, doesn't go too much further than the anxieties of standing out whenever you enter a room and the use of 'alternative' pronouns. Despite not being a terribly deep dive into transgender issues, it's kind of refreshing to have this character in this type of book without their plot being solely based on hir gender and expression. Overall, there is some good humour in this, a decent plot with some sloppy development and style. Curious if Seth Colter Walls is going to keep writing fiction, I'd be interested to read where he goes next.

[Matthew · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book and spot on satire of our alternative history. Feels more like ten years from now than the 5 years after 2010, but things can change pretty fast recently. I did find the ending a bit abrupt, like I was bailing out of a page book halfway through. It jumps around a bit but comes back to the main protagonist but all the characters had potential which was not realized. This seems like I can find some fault with any aspect of it, but I did like the book and I thought it was really timely to read right now, which probably bumps it up a star.

[David · Rating 1 out of 5]

Interesting topics for a long essay. I wonder whether the author ever considered turning it into a novel?