Waiting for Eden by Elliot Ackerman

I listened to Waiting for Eden by Elliot Ackerman while on a long drive. It’s perfect for the car because it’s only three hours and twenty-seven minutes long. More important, it’s absolutely riveting. I enjoyed it so much that I immediately followed it up with a second Elliot Ackerman book. I’ll talk about that book in a future review.

Let me begin by saying Waiting for Eden deals with the horrors and impact of war on individuals. It is heavy, dark, and emotionally draining, perhaps along the lines of All Quiet on the Western Front–another favorite book of mine. Put another way, make sure you are in the right frame of mind before you start this book. Once you do, I can assure you, you will not put it down.

Eden is a young Marine who was severely burned when his Humvee hit an improvised explosive device in Iraq. Eden’s best friend, who was killed in the blast, narrates the events leading up to and following the explosion from somewhere in the netherworld. He also introduces Mary, Eden’s devoted wife who visits Eden every day in the burn center in San Antonio. Mary struggles with how to survive in the aftermath of her husband’s injuries. She is also the one who must decide whether to keep him alive or let him die, a decision made even more difficult by her and Eden’s past.

Waiting for Eden does not seem like fiction–it seems like the story is real. I am sure some of that is because I listened to the story and it felt like the narrator was speaking to me personally, but the real reason is Elliot Ackerman’s writing. I thought it was brilliant. Mr. Ackerman is also a decorated Marine who fought in both Iraq and Afghanistan, so he writes from the perspective of one who unfortunately knows war and its aftermath all too well. 

Waiting for Eden is a must-read and is available on Amazon. You can buy it by clicking here.