Gary Shteyngart’s latest novel, “Vera, or Faith,” has arrived in a world that may be moving too fast for satire to keep up. The book tells the story of Vera Bradford-Shmulkin, a 10-year-old girl living in New York City with her Jewish, Russian-American father and WASP-y step-mother.
As Shteyngart’s latest work, “Vera, or Faith” would have been considered surprising even to his own imagination. In reality, the world has taken a dark turn, with rising racism, sexism, and nationalism. The novel prophesies a dystopian America where white Americans clamor for more votes per person, electric cars’ AI call armed police on Korean families, and women of childbearing age are tested for abortions.
The novel’s protagonist, Vera, tries to make sense of her complicated home life, the society around it, and the world at large. She creates lists of facts and observations to bring people together, but these efforts are met with resistance. Vera forms a plan with Kaspie, a Japanese diplomat’s daughter and a chess computer, which becomes the culmination of her journey.
While “Vera, or Faith” is an engaging read as a miniature bildungsroman, it feels sadly inadequate as a commentary on incipient American fascism. Shteyngart’s latest work serves as a reflection of our current world, highlighting the need for satire to keep up with reality. The novel raises important questions about identity, privilege, and the complexities of the human experience.
Source: https://forward.com/culture/books/753460/shteyngart-vera-or-faith-trump-america-satire-jewish-fiction