Rx

My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher Atmosphere Press for an advanced copy of this new literary thriller.

The problem with reading a novel about in which an unnamed narrator crisscrosses a flailing and failing nation riven by terrorism, religiosity and just stupid, all while trying to either find himself or lose himself even deeper in the world of the big lie, is that it seems more like reading Twitter than fiction. In other words Rx: A Novel by Garin Cycholl hits way to close to home.

Our narrator has just watched the decline and death of his father, a doctor of some repute, though a Goldwater fan, so he's not perfect. With a family he is not close with, and nothing really to believe in, he hits the road with a trunk full of his father's medical equipment, medical degrees and blank prescription pads, traveling to no particular place. At the same time America is under attack from within as terrorist attacks, religious militias and other things America does so well fil the news. And a strange new disease makes its appearance.

The book is very well written, with many allusions both to history, literature and other subjects filling the pages. Some of the terror attacks will seem familiar, as if the past always seems to come around again. The characters are not stereotypes of conspiracists, more like that weird uncle or the neighbor who has a whole lot of flags hanging in their yard, none that anyone can identify. They all seem to be looking for something, the narrator maybe finding a purpose, others trying to find anything better than the hand they were dealt.

The book is hard to categorize. A road novel on the highway to hell, just seems to pat. Fight Club but without the organizational skills. You don't like the characters but you can understand them. And I am not sure when it was written but it seems very prescient about events today. Disturbing but very interesting, with quite a few things that I know will stay with me.

Where do you begin to stop a country from bleeding? Can you make a difference by healing or failing to heal it one person at a time?

If you play at being a doctor…

The narrator grew up in a broken household, his dad seducing the nurses at the hospital and his mom out of sight. After his father’s death, he sets out to figure out who he is – both in comparison to his father and without his father – while reading up on medicine in outdated books. He reinvents himself as his old man and impersonates being a doctor in a small town full of eccentric but normal and not very likable people, including himself.

Despite the fact that he is not trained for it – nor does he pursue training or study effectively – he does his best to do no harm and offers a listening ear to his patients. He somewhat passively absorbs what is happening in the world around him and is not very passionate about anything. He is lost without a fixed place of residence, occupation, and identity. “What do you live for, Doctor Rex? Maybe it’s just that we die for something.”

Fix the world one person at a time

The world around him is a real mess, with people being found dead, bombings and political struggles. Stories about these events are interspersed with stories about his medical practice. The way his days are described also illustrates his disturbed life and world. The chapters are short, with his personal encounters structured like the events happening around him. One wonders if his impersonation will help him make something of himself.

What I found so impressive about this book is how the conditions of the narrator’s patients begin to reflect the state of the country, a state very reminiscent of what is happening in the real world right now. When he sees his patients, it’s like he’s watching the news.

Skaggs on eggs

Everything the narrator goes through slowly leads him to one of my favorite scenes: the egg-influenced Skaggs on his horse. The scenes the narrator shares with Blackwater and Major Skaggs are always very entertaining. Regardless of the likability of their personalities, they make you think beyond the most visible aspects of the story in Rx, such as how the way many people live their lives is different from being a hostage. The depth of the story increases toward the end. There is no climax or exciting plot, but you feel the control slipping away from the characters. The last page of the book marks a good time to return to the life you hope you can influence. Even if it’s just one person at a time.

Rx started out as a book about inheritance - Rex leaves town, avoiding his half-brother, taking only his recently deceased father's prescription pad, antique medical tools, and his name.

The book pivots into paranoia as Rex settles into a small town and sets up practice.
Will other doctors sniff him out?
Will his nurse/lover relapse into addiction?
Who is bombing sites around the country?
Is immigration coming for Michelle?
Is Skaggs infected with a new plague?

Various storylines are left unresolved, like real life, and the uncertainty of these times. I leave it up to you, Dear Reader, to determine the ending.

Garin Cycholl’s RX wrestles with the complexity of personal responsibility.

After his father’s death, the narrator absconds from the funeral with his fathers identity and, more importantly, his medical license. After taking up residence in a small town called Assumption, we’re introduced to an eclectic cast of characters who, while relatable, aren’t very likable. “Do no harm” is often a phrase repeated throughout the book as the narrator thinks about his own responsibility to the people he cares for in the town who believe he is a doctor, but the logic can apply to everyone and the implications their lies and actions bring upon each other.

Through out the novel, there is a thread of terrorist bombings around major cities, and the narrator can’t help but wonder if one of his patients is connected. Skeggs spends most of his check-ups preaching his radical politics to the narrator, but it’s unclear if he’s sick or just a hypochondriac, a harmless conspiracy theorist or a domestic terrorist. This often hits a little too close to home with the modern political climate, but the need to know how this would play out seemed to be the driving force of the plot.

Overall, the story felt a bit disjointed as we moved from the narrator’s motivations, his patient’s problems, and terrorism. It was unclear why the narrator decided to take his father’s identity. We get a glimpse of his tumultuous childhood when he’s separated from his mother who struggles with addiction and moves in with his father, stepmother and half-brother, but it doesn’t feel like we have a full picture. If we knew a bit more, the narrator’s motivations might have been more clear.

Received digital ARC from Netgalley for an honest review

I would love to compare reactions to this book pre, during and post Trump’s presidency. Not going to lie - it’s kind of a weird book. The characters are not altogether likeable or relatable but you can’t help buying in to their lives and ideas. The book tricks you into thinking it is Americana only to turn on its head and leave you holding the loose ends of a frayed cord, defying classification. Ultimately, I really enjoyed the book and recommend it. It will make you think and make you question and this is great. The writing style will also impress - quite unique and oddly appealing.

An enjoyable read, well written and entertaining. Hadn't read this author before but would consider reading again.