Top reviews from the United States

• Kristen W.

• 5.0 out of 5 stars

•  Read this book!
  Reviewed in the United States on February 3, 2026
  Format: Kindle
  Very thought provoking! Constructs a very real, chilling picture of a future world. This piece will motivate you to evaluate your purpose and do your part to leave the world a better place. The characters are real and relatable as they navigate this new world. Despite our human shortcomings, there are many examples of how technology will enhance our lives and be used in an highly constructive matter.
  
  Zur manages to marry the political and technological advances we see today and project where we might be in the near future. After reading this book you will be left hopeful for a brighter tomorrow.
  
  Highly highly recommended!!
  
  I received an advance review copy of this book and am leaving this review voluntarily.
  
  

• -e

• 3.0 out of 5 stars

•  If you want a challenge, dig in.
  Reviewed in the United States on February 4, 2026
  Format: Kindle
  This book is not the usual genre I read. I prefer lite entertainment, something that I can escape into without it being too mentally taxing. This is not that kind of book. It's not feel-good contemporary. We're living in unusual times. And this book makes you think about what's going on in the world today. If you want a challenge, dig in.
  
  Disclaimer: I received an advance review copy of this book and I'm leaving this review voluntarily.

• Matt

• 4.0 out of 5 stars

•  Timely, topical engaging read
  Reviewed in the United States on February 3, 2026
  Format: Paperback
  This ambitious novel explores a politically separated US alongside the far-reaching societal effects of emerging technologies such as AI, quantum computing, and advanced energy systems, amongst others. The author’s strong technical knowledge and imagination creates a timely and engaging story. The novel’s big ideas and clear sense of purpose consistently hold interest, providing the reader with an opportunity to consider their own thinking about these topics.
  
  I received an advance review copy of this book and am leaving this review voluntarily.

• Christine

• 5.0 out of 5 stars

•  Quick review of Divided We Stand
  Reviewed in the United States on February 3, 2026
  Format: Kindle
  I really enjoyed this book and found it easy to get into. The story
  was engaging, and the characters felt believable. It kept my interest
  throughout. I received an advance review
  copy of this book and am leaving this review voluntarily.

Hi John Zur,

I’m Bonnie Garmus, and Divided We Stand: The Red & Blue Republics struck me as a bold and deeply thought-provoking work less a traditional novel than an invitation to look inward. Framing the characters as mirrors rather than spectacles is a powerful choice, and following one family across generations, continents, and seismic societal shifts creates a narrative canvas wide enough to hold some of today’s most urgent questions.

I was especially compelled by the structure: beginning with political fracture and the personal responsibility we carry within it, then moving into a technological renaissance shaped by AI, truth, and mortality. The way you tie intimate human fears, loneliness, legacy, the desire to be understood to large-scale innovations like the Truth Chain and digital afterlife technology gives the book an unusual dual focus: philosophical and deeply personal at once. It’s rare to see speculative fiction so directly engage with not just what the future might look like, but how we, as individuals, might show up within it.

As a writer, I’m always drawn to stories that challenge readers to think as much as they feel. In my own work, including Lessons in Chemistry, I’ve explored identity and societal expectation through a very different lens, but that same underlying thread, the idea that personal choices ripple outward into culture and history felt strongly present in your exploration of division, empathy, and transformation.

If you’d like to explore my work or stay connected, here is my Amazon link:
https://a.co/d/01eIzLtH

I’m always glad to connect with fellow authors who use fiction not just to entertain, but to spark reflection, conversation, and a deeper examination of who we are and who we might become. No agenda, just genuine admiration and an openness to staying in touch if you’d ever like to talk about books or craft.

Warm regards,
Bonnie Garmus