I found this vivid piece of near-future fiction trolling through various tags on Amazon.com. And though this is a highly disturbing read, its glory outshines its grit.
Set in New York City of the near future, and during a relatively rapid deterioration of society into lawlessness and decay, Random Acts Of Senseless Violence follows one upper-middleclass family through the eyes of its eldest daughter, 12 year old Lola who narrates the story through entries in her diary. Mr. Womack's excellent plotting allows us to watch Lola's sweetness give way to a kind of madness as she mirrors the decay of her city and her society. It tracks the toughening-up of her friends, the decline of her schools, the chaos of her streets and the devolution of her family all while breaking our hearts with a young girl's need to be loved and wanted.
This is one of the most well-plotted works of apocalyptic fiction I've ever read and it's a shame that Mr. Womack has not been more widely acclaimed for it. Nihilistic? Yes. Frightening? Absolutely. Better for being both? Without a doubt... (4/5 Stars)
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