Last Acts | Alexander Sammartino

That fact that George Saunders called this novel "Virtuosic" right there on the cover, made me want to read it. Who doesn't love virtuosic writing? And George Saunders is a tough guy to impress, I have a feeling. I knew I was in for some biting social, satiric commentary and this novel did not disappoint on that count. It addresses with sharp prose the dreams of capitalism and the realities of the opioid crisis all at the same time through the eyes of David Rizzo and his son Nick. Set in Arizona, the novel doesn't lavish a lot of love on the landscape of the southwest. It's a bleak, harsh world out there. The writing is strong and pulses throughout this slim volume. I can see why Saunders liked it, although it's not Saunders-level, in my opinion. It's kind of a downer to read-- a gut-punch of a story--about people who just can't catch a break or constantly make bad choices. Yet with all that, they still think they can turn things around. You must admire their optimism, I guess. It'll be interesting to see what Sammartino does next (this is his first novel).