Freedom’s Just Another Word
by Len Joy
Genre: Literary Fiction / Political
ISBN: 9798585924699
Print Length: 310 pages
Reviewed by Elizabeth Zender
A thought-provoking novel of responsibilities, reflection, and redemption
Meet Jake Doyle. Two decades ago, he was at the height of his career as a journalist in Chicago, writing about politics. He used to be somebody. Then he had an affair with his intern, a woman named Monique. And that led to a son.
Now Jake is a divorcé with two grown children. He writes a local column, drives for a ride-share company to pay his bills, and has a roommate. His son Devante is moving in too so he can avoid sharing space with his aunt.
When a Huffington Post piece uses Jake for fodder, it starts a string of bad happenings. A young man pulls a gun on Devante, Jake, and the owner of a local boxing gym, Enyart, and Jake wrestles the gun away and takes it with him.
This encounter rattles Jake, leaving him to struggle with his own feelings surrounding gun control. Previously, it was easier for Jake to believe that better legislation could have prevented the death of Monique; now, he’s not so sure. When a veteran cop gets killed while trying to apprehend a felon with a gun, Jake can’t help but ruminate on his next article.
Freedom’s Just Another Word… is a story of politics, race, and the ever-changing atmosphere of the United States. Author Len Joy intersperses expositional and descriptive chapters with entries from Jake’s column and his imaginary conversations with Devante’s mother. Jake’s character has a position that not many are willing to take on themselves, and he doesn’t shy away from friends that challenge his own beliefs. Enyart, for example, is a former Marine who leans far right and is a member of the NRA. His roommate is a gun-loving lesbian, and his ex-wife is as politically conservative as they come, referring to the owners of the Chicago Tribune as “liberal darlings.” Jake welcomes the challenges to his opinions from his friends.
Throughout the novel, Doyle battles with his politics, his values, and his beliefs. For him, like many individuals, it is easier to believe something when it isn’t thrust into his face. When these seemingly abstract ideals are forced upon you, it’s easy to feel the way Jake does: unsure of how to move forward.
In his journalistic style, Len Joy tackles this problem unabashedly and openly, pushing readers to do the same. I found myself side-eyeing some of the characters because their beliefs did not match my own, but Joy pushes us to look past the surface of disagreement.
Doyle handles a particularly difficult situation well—one where a four-year-old dies and he feels personally responsible. After an interview surrounding the issue, Enyart makes a valid point in asking Jake, “You don’t think you’re in a war?”—a question that doesn’t dance around the politics of today.
Joy’s novel takes readers through the conflicting and challenging landscape of today’s United States. Both sides feel real and accessible, and this plays a big part in why the novel remains such a fascinating read and a true page-turner.
As Jake battles alongside his friends and family, he has to sort out how he will handle the feelings and falling-outs that come with admitting mistakes, owning up to your actions, and trying to do what’s right. If you are looking for political fiction that challenges opinions and compels with a forward-moving plot, definitely pick up Freedom’s Just Another Word…. You won’t be disappointed.
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