How do you defeat the beast of war?It’s a question without an answer, or is it?The brilliance of this novel is not just the metaphor for PSTD but the moral ambiguity of the emotions that the story evokes for the reader regarding the characters and town of Enemy Falls. The first clue lies I the name of the town. The duality created between them and the enemy. The honor spoke of going into the Marines and going way as if these kids have no choice but to follow in those footsteps, those dark shadows or trauma again and again. And so you both feel like the town has this coming, creating these soldiers who turn on them. Yet you also feel with anyone who is killed and the hell they have gone through. Hence the brilliance. The multidimensional storytelling and philosophy are interwoven in this short novel. In a way, therein lies the horror, fear, and downright terror of your creations coming back to you. The Frankenstein story is told in the silent monster called PTSD. The monster we can’t see, not exactly, or fight, but is always there watching, waiting, and eating. Diaz does an amazing job building not the tension of the story and horror but the description of this horror. The writing echoes Stephen King McCarthy in its poetic realism. Abs In a way, it turns a mirror on America and the thousand small towns just like Enemy Falls.The writing was succinct and lovely. The characters were dynamic. I wanted more, though, more of the past and more insights into some of these folks. However, it was enough to connect, break, and have Hell follow me, even after the pages ended.