Set in a dystopic MAGA-esque near future, My Name Is Iris explores the dark side of the United States and fascism. Iris Prince and her husband have drifted apart over the years. Their divorce is unsurprising, but the lack of drama regarding it is. Iris (originally named Inés, was renamed when a teacher couldn’t pronounce it) starts over with a new house, new neighborhood, more time to spend with her nine-year-old daughter, Melanie.
The government, with the aid of Silicon Valley, has created a substitute for driver’s licenses called the Band which is available only to those Americans who can prove that their parents are bona fide US residents. Iris, whose parents are undocumented aliens, is now of unverifiable origin. As Iris settles into her new home, she wakes up one day and finds a wall growing between her and her neighbors. No one else can see it. It is covered in glass shards to keep people both in and out.
I found the characterization to be a bit flat. Iris tends to ramble in her thoughts and overall isn’t a very likable character. That said, the book combines elements of stinging social commentary, magical realism, a dystopic vision of the future, the classic immigrant story, deals with issues such as MAGA-type intolerance and racism that should be at the forefront of American discussions.
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My Name Is Iris (Avid Reader Press / Simon & Schuster, August 1, 2023) is available through:
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