20th November, 2025 in Recommended Reads

Made in America by Jack Chase

“Dean’s sigh was longer, wearier. The exhalation of a man who’d seen too much and understood too little about what humans were capable of doing to each other.” The novel, Made in America: or The Tragedy of Bill Castle and Unexpected Absolution of Dean Willis, by Jack Chase, thrusts us into the darker recesses of New York City, as its protagonist, Billy Castle, struggles to climb out of his miserable circumstances, only to become lost in the muck of hasty acts that drastically better his financial livelihood while assailing his conscience. Chase brings us a fascinating antagonist in Archer Stone, whose astonishing conduct forces each character to confront his selfish machinations. Though Made in America occasionally becomes tangled within the metaphors of its environment, it offers a sharp exploration of resilience within a deteriorating world.