The Parade: A novel

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Prolific writer Dave Eggers’ latest novel, The Parade, is a slim volume that packs a punch in its final pages that will make you want to reread the whole thing right away.

Set in an undisclosed country after it has been ravaged by war, the novel follows one man, known only as Four, as he and his partner, Nine, pave a road that will connect the northern and southern points of the country. The work is tedious, but Four finds it soothing. He is known for his tenacity and adherence to deadlines—his nickname is The Clock—and he feels happy to have work that will better the country. The timeline to complete the work is meant to culminate in a parade showing unity within the previously disjointed country.

But, of course, things do not go as planned. Nine is on his first assignment with the road-paving company while Four is on assignment number 63. Four is accustomed to the work and all its potential distractions; Nine is not. Between interruptions from local citizens, the impending threat of rebel groups, and the real and terrifying possibility of typhoid or malaria in a country without easy access to healthcare, this assignment will prove to be Four’s toughest and most meaningful.

The narrative of The Parade is simple, like its protagonist Four, but its commentary on what war does to a region and to a people is complex and engrossing and should be read and reread by anyone and everyone.


Reviewed By:

Author Dave Eggers
Star Count /5
Format Hard
Page Count 192 pages
Publisher
Publish Date 2019-03-19
ISBN 9780525655305
Bookshop.org Buy this Book
Issue June 2019
Category Modern Literature
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