I'm not really sure how to review this book that I won through first reads. Let's say I rounded up from 2.5. I chose up rather than down, because I really do get what Karl Marlantes was going for and think it's a noble mission.

My issues with the book are more with the execution than anything else. Mostly, it was the writing style I didn't much care for. The words didn't feel like they flowed to me. I think the intent may have been a sort of stream-of-consciousness when describing war experiences, but it came off as long-winded instead. And then at other times, there was this pseudo psychoanalyst vibe to the diction and phrasing. For some reason, these things bothered me more than they normally would. I think this might be because I feel that the book could have had a much greater impact if the language were chosen a bit better. And it deserves to have an impact. The material itself is worthwhile and arguably necessary in today's world if you can dig through the language to get to it. While I liked the chapters detailing experiences that happened while in combat, it was the coming home chapter that was the most interesting and thought provoking. The book is worth reading, but I can bet a lot of people that could benefit from its purpose will stop reading partway through.