Why Liv? by Jon Sebastian Shifrin

Laced with acerbic wit and wisdom, Why Liv? by author John Sebastian Shifrin is a tongue-in-cheek triumph about surviving in the time of media madness, political decay, and the existential crisis that is our 21st century. The story reads as though the author distilled the anxieties and issues of today, then refracted them into a new narrative, creating an alternative universe that readers will intimately recognize – chilling, spiraling, and in desperate need of change. Managing to inject this much social commentary into a casually written novel is impressive, although some of the book does feel rushed, including many of the dialogic exchanges. These small critiques aside, Why Liv? is both amusing and tragic, offering a relevant blend of Kafka’s cynicism and American grit to make the book a timely and exceptional read.