Neon Green: A Novel

“Neon Green” by Margaret Wappler is a novel of growing intensity and depth. Beginning as a beautifully observed comedy of manners in a Chicago suburb in 1994, it steadily takes the reader to the edge of something like a transcendent vision of human community and possibility. The novel is divided into three parts. The first two have deceptively self-deprecatory titles: “For Entertainment Purposes Only” and “Sprawl.” The third bears the title “Mysterium Tremendum et Fascinans.” We have moved from the mildly atypical obsessions and sometimes desperately tenuous normalcy of Ernest and Cynthia Allen and their two teenage kids Gabe and Allison to something resonant with possibilities far beyond the preoccupations of 1990 suburbanites. It should not come as a surprise to the attentive reader that the novel proves to be much more than wry vignettes displaying the foibles of the upper middleclass—Montessori schools, quasi-serious environmentalism, homemade jazz, booze, flirtations potentially serious, wispy brushes with sex for the teenagers, etc. After all, a spaceship has landed in the Allen’s backyard, the visit a product of New World Enterprises out of Wilmington, Delaware. Its behavior, or the behavior of the unseen occupants, is comically obtuse and sometimes noxious, but as the novel progresses, the ship assumes a Kafkaesque portentousness—a dig at American commercialism that veers toward the metaphysical. And there are other alerts. For instance, Gabe has located far out in radio space “The Book of Connections” featuring a woman who purveys a brand of questionable New Age wisdom—pseudo-astronomy, the metaphysics of electromagnetism and the like. The utterances of “The Book of Connections” are at best philosophical teases, but Gabe’s desire to get in touch with something beyond the unsatisfactory mundane is real. Significantly “The Book” goes off the air as the novel deepens towards the visionary. So, there is the spaceship, a wacky voice from radio land, and then back to the earthly--municipal malfeasance, disease, death. Everything conspires to take us down, or perhaps out, where the spirit speaks. The challenge of the novel, for both writer and reader, is obvious. Can you take a satisfying ride from the cliché-ridden and even cartoonish to the borders of the realm of the spirit? For me the novel works because Wappler commands a fine mix of close observation, inventiveness, tact and an irresistible commitment to our deeper human impulses and yearnings. There are no larger than life heroes here, no deep-dyed villains, not even the despoilers of the town park. There is really only us as we were a quarter of a century ago and as we pretty much are now, lucky to be lifted and warmed by the embrace of Wappler’s unique imagination. Disclosure. In the book’s end pages I am acknowledged as an influence not entirely baleful.

I really enjoyed this book! I love the concept of going back to the nineties, only there are spaceships. It's suspenseful, with a telling drama about the members of the family and how they each react to and interact with the alien space ship in their back yard. The almost satirical way "environmentalism" is addressed in a world with alien ships (that ooze green goo) is amusing, too. It's an interesting commentary on Americans' relationship with "being good" and "doing good," when you really have no idea if any of it matters in the big picture.

Margaret Wappler’s wholly original, nearly unclassifiable, and undeniably brilliant novel Neon Green straddles a balance between science fiction and family fiction (or is it family science?) like no book I have read in recent memory. The somber story set in 1994 of a family in an idyllic Illinois suburb whose lives are upended by the appearance—and subsequent residency—of a mysterious spaceship from Jupiter in their backyard, a dubious “prize” won in a sweepstakes, may sound like a perfect Twilight Zone set-up, but the book subverts any genre expectations about an impending alien invasion by turning inward. In the end, we care more about what’s happening inside the family than what’s inside the mysterious spaceship. Touching on environmentalism, liberal boomer idealism, 90s nostalgia, and government paranoia, and evocative of films such as “Take Shelter" and “Close Encounters”, Neon Green is often heart-wrenching, never condescending (especially in the finely rendered characters and teenagers), ultimately profound, and one of the best books of the year. A true original.

The book surprises you over and over, the tone changes throughout being humorous, sad, and philosophical in different phases of the story. Although it takes place outside of a Chicago, Wapplers newer home in California feeds the details of the book, with a 'crunchy' message and easy pace. The period details are fun. That the aliens were from Jupiter, an impossibility, was a little distracting. Choosing a distant star would have been more reasonable, and hence less distracting.

I loved reading this - it's a great summer read, perfect for the beach or a few rainy afternoons. Margaret does an excellent job of capturing what I remember about suburban 1994 (even with the addition of aliens landing in the backyard). Despite it being set in a world where aliens land in the backyard, the characters and their struggles were very real and easy for me to empathize with and relate to - and this is coming from someone who is by no means a science fiction fan. This is simply a wonderful story that just happens to also have a spaceship from Jupiter in it. Highly recommended!

I'm no book critic (though I am a book author), but I know what I like, and I like Neon Green. Sci-fi is my first love and Margaret Wappler's novel measures up. It's clever and unpredictable, never goes for the easy plot point or throwaway emotion. The characters are all three -- maybe four -- dimensional and finely realized. Neon Green reminds me of Philip K Dick explorations of suburbia and never knowing what is really real. I recommend it.

Interesting new world guy tries to cope with space ship in his back yard that his son won in a contest. He is convinced it is toxic and demands his family keep a log of observations. Cute twist in the end, light reading but fun.

One of the best books I've read this year. I found out about the book from a podcast I listen to, but was totally blown away by, and surprised really, by how much I enjoyed it. A great story about a family in the not so distant past of the 90's and how they get through life with a few alien distractions. Exotic and normal all at once.

I bought this book because i was a fan of the author through the Pop Rocket podcast. They talked about the book and it seemed interesting so thought I'd give it a go. I really wanted to like it. The plot was interesting and I was expecting to enjoy the mid-90s nostalgia but there was something lost in the execution. The characters didn't elicit sympathy (except perhaps the mother) and the prose didn't grab me and oscillated between being over-contrived and too everyday. The ending fell flat for me, especially given that there were so many things that could've happened with the spaceship. Sadly, I wouldn't recommend this book.

Loved it. Quirky. Well written.