Exit A: A Novel Review

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(More customer reviews)Exit A is Anthony Swofford's newest novel.While Jarhead was the autobiographical account of his Marine adventures in the Gulf War, Exit A is clearly fiction, but with a military theme.Whereas Pat Conroy's military-themed, growing-up novels drip with grit and passion, Exit A is simply... unbelievable.I mean, the commanding general's daughter (Virginia) decides she is a modern day Bonnie Parker (as in "Bonnie and Clyde")?And the captain of the general's high school football team (Severin), after intercepting a pass and running it in for a touchdown (in Japan, of all places), strips down in the end zone in a blaze of "the 'man' doesn't tell ME what to do anymore"?

The story line goes downhill from there.Virginia out of prison (had a daughter in prison), Severin in a loveless, schizophrenic marriage, and the dying general asking Severin to "find my daughter." Sure, boss! I sensed a John Irving wannabe writing style here.

The reality of Jarhead "jarred" me.I admit I had similar expectations for Exit A.But the "jarring" style of writing that formed his autobiography was absent.This is not a requirement for a good yarn, but the characters in Exit A never reach a level of "reality" that makes the story believable, and that IS a requirement.Obviously, Lord of the Rings is not a true story.But didn't you "believe" the reality of the characters?Didn't you believe Holden Caulfield (Catcher in the Rye) could be real?Severin Boxx and the other characters don't pass this test.

Don't forget to catch this line:"His lips were glued shut with dried mucus, and his mouth tasted like a dog's tongue boiling in a pot" (p. 215).

"Virginia knew she was being a bad daughter" (p. 109).These were her thoughts as she mused that she should be supporting her father, who was under pressure when a civilian boy is killed by a military driver.She's thinking this as she is waiting to deliver four kidnapped Japanese to North Koreans (!!!).

Time will tell whether or not Anthony Swofford, as a writer, was a flash in the pan.Exit A was mildly entertaining, but forgettable.

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