American Rust is set in Buell, Pennsylvania. The steel mill, which was the main source of employment closed in 1987.
Isaac and Poe are best friends and recent high school graduates. Isaac wants to go on to college but is worried about leaving is disabled father alone to fend for himself. Poe doesn’t really have any aspirations. Isaac finally decides to go to school after all and steals $4000 from his father to help him get there. He tells Poe of his plan. To save money he will walk, hop trains, and hitch-hike to Berkley, California.
Isaac talks Poe into walking with him to the abandoned steel mill and hang out with him one more time before he leaves the town for good. They start a fire inside but all of a sudden some men show up. Isaac is scarred and wants to leave, but as usual, Poe need to show how tough he is. Isaac makes an excuse to leave and hopes for Poe to follow but he doesn’t. While outside Isaac hears Poe and goes back inside to see the men beating Poe and threatening him with a knife. Isaac throws something at the head of one of the men and the man goes down. It leaves Poe enough time to make his escape.
This one act changed the lives of Isaac,Poe, and the town forever.
I want to thank Lisa Munley of TLC Book Tours for getting me to read this book. I was sent a copy of this it before it originally came out. Because I had not requested it, I put it at the back of my advance reader copy pile. I read some great reviews and wanted to read it but just didn’t get to it. Then Lisa contacted me and said that she noticed it was on my TBR and that she was organizing a book tour for it. She gave me the little push I needed to finally read it. Now that I have, I can’t believe I waited for so long!
This book has been compared to the great John Steinbeck. In my opinion a very hard standard for any other writers to achieve. I am a huge Steinbeck fan. That said, I must say that I agree that there are many elements that live up to the Steinbeck standard. There’s a well written and developed story of gut wrenching consequences, a great character studies that are oh, so well drawn out. Meyer is no Steinbeck but he does come close. I give my highest praise to Philipp Meyer and his debut novel, American Rust.
Yes, a debut author that we can compare to Steinbeck. I look forward to reading more by Philipp Meyer, can he continue to live up to the Steinbeck standard? Time will tell.
5/5
Be sure to look for my giveaway of this book tomorrow!
Philipp Meyer’s Other TLC Book Tours Tour Stops:
Tuesday, January 12th: The Blue Stocking Society
Monday, January 18th: Literary Feline
Tuesday, January 19th: Book Club Classics!
Wednesday, January 20th: A Circle of Books
Thursday, January 21st: One Person’s Journey Through a World of Books
Tuesday, January 26th: Luxury Reading
Thursday, January 28th: Ready When You Are, CB
Tuesday, February 2nd: Rough Edges
Thursday, February 4th: Bibliophile by the Sea
Tuesday, February 9th: Becky’s Book Reviews
Thursday, February 11th: The 3 R’s Blog
Friday, February 12th: Beth Fish Reads
Monday, February 15th: Bibliofreak
Tuesday, February 16th: Books on the Brain
Monday, February 22nd: Lit and Life
Thursday, February 25th: Steph and Tony Investigate
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