Ready for a clever, totally politically incorrect, story of a whole hidden nationality within the United States? That’s right, the Can-Am people are not from Canada. They are Cannibal-Americans from the Old Country. Which Old Country? They don’t remember. They do remember their rituals. Especially about having Mother for Dinner, after her death, as a main course.
There is some deep and intriguing world-building here. And some of it is even true. Henry Ford really did have an Americanization program and Day. I assume (hope?) that the rest of Cannibal traditions and history are fictional.
However, Mother for Dinner also has a deeper message about how the US melting pot works and how it doesn’t. Ultimately, should people continually refer to their historical ethnicity regardless of how long they, and their ancestors, have been living in a different country? Does it take two generations to change from referring to yourself as Chinese to Chinese-American to just American? Or will it never happen? This book will make you think, which is always a good thing. 4 stars!
Thanks to Riverhead Books and Edelweiss+ for a copy in exchange for my honest review.