Just when I had convinced myself that writers had run out of new things to say about the American Experience, Eric Dion Margolis offers "The Golden State," an innovative exploration of the American Dream through the lens of family trauma, Jewish identity, and the good old American Roadtrip.

I’m a sucker for a good roadtrip novel, and "The Golden State" takes this staple American pastime and uses it to background the thrilling coming-of-age story of Matt and Becca, two teenage siblings on a quest to find a mysterious and long-lost family heirloom whose properties have ostensibly protected their family for generations. Throughout their journey, Mr. Margolis forces us to interrogate American history and hold up a mirror to how immigration and our melting pot of cultures have shaped us as a nation.

Readers will also delight in the fact that the prose and craftsmanship are just as compelling as the story’s themes. The author effortlessly combines genres, invoking historical fiction, bildungsroman, supernatural/horror, and more. Witty turns of phrase and a fast-moving plot obscure the fact that the narrative is complex, spanning multiple timelines, locations, and characters.

Because there are so many rich characters, I do wish we had a bit more time with a few of them (I’m looking at you, Lawrence). But there really is something for everyone here, and for fans of lovable villains, I can safely say that the Riddler and Joker can retire now that Mr. Margolis has given us the deliciously evil Cowboy Jim.

But above all, this novel is just plain-old fun, and damn near impossible to not complete in one sitting. If you’re anything like me, by the time you’ve finished you’ll be as eager as ever to see what Mr. Margolis will do next.

The Golden State is filled with adventure, well-developed characters (some that you will love and some you will hate!), vivid description, and complex relationships, with historical fact and mysticism along the way! Through the eyes of 18 year old Matt, the reader experiences an America with all its wonders and all its faults. A fast-paced plot you won't want to put down - go buy The Golden State and read it right now!!

I was a bit nervous when approaching this since I was going to be the first person to review it on here, but I can proudly say that this is a great novel and Eric is a great writer. A coming of age story with touches of fantasy and mystery and mysticism, that despite being a roadtrip adventure manages to be introspective and have characters that aren’t moving too fast to grasp. By the time I got into the heart of the book, I didn’t want to put it down.

Dreams are both the things we wake up with and the things we make up for ourselves. The dreams that we dream are as real as real memories and the dreams that we hope for are as important as our current reality. This books is about chasing dreams, whether they are truth or fiction is not important, and that is something I found universally relatable. I really enjoyed the essay at the end; it really put a bow on things. I am not much of a writer, and this review is kind of a jumble of ideas, but reading this honestly made me want to start writing again!