This is very now — very contemporary. It explores America leading up to 45’s election and touches on issues like gun control, misogyny, mental health, and transgender rights while telling the story of a corrupt man and his three sons. Rushdie throws in countless allusions to classic films, poets, novels, and DC Comics. He uses the narcissistic, insane, and anarchic Joker as a stand in for 45 which works quite well.

It will be interesting to return to this in 20 years or so and see how it works. It is so very contemporary that I’m not sure it will have the same impact once we’ve moved out of this moment.