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On a seemingly quiet university campus, readers meet Ian Mueller (a prankster with a gift for one-liners and a taste for the 80s) and his ever-practical roommate, Troy. After a Halloween prank goes wrong and Ian becomes the very eye of controversy, the Janus-like nature of academia unfolds. Troy and Ian's other friends navigate their on-campus lives and personal morals as Ian faces the consequences of his actions. Meanwhile, readers also meet Sam, the university president struggling to keep his personal and professional lives separate. He finds himself failing at what he desires most—to keep his university free of controversy and negative attention. Amid the controversy, readers find themselves at tables with professors who preach the doctrines of esoteric fields of study, in the throes of protests fueled by rumors and misperceptions, and in the conscience of one young man trying to understand what is actually happening on campus and in society.
Darkly satirical and possessing the tone and power of Vonnegut's story "Harrison Bergeron," this book reads like events straight out of the current day's newsfeed. It boldly examines the fine line between what society tolerates and what it doesn't. More importantly, it questions what happens to individuals who, against all odds, are forbidden to defend themselves against the masses. The book also carefully considers the massive spread of misinformation and how that misinformation vastly transforms groupthink. Bold and daring, humorous yet intellectual, this book has the potential to become a cult classic. Readers of Vonnegut and Brett Easton Ellis will enjoy the book's humor and tone. Meanwhile, readers of cult classics like The Perks of Being a Wallflower will appreciate the book's focus on social issues that impact young adults.
RECOMMENDED by the US Review