Book Review: The Submission by Amy Waldman

“The Submission” by Amy Waldman might have put into play fictional characters but the authenticity of the politically charged backdrop to this story was so emotionally draining I kept forgetting what I was reading was not a real occurrence. The Submission instilled more than just suspense to seeking what would happen next but included anger, sorrow, and betrayal that consequently surrounded the nonfictional 9/11 attack.
When you start this story the submission means all the United States citizens that had the chance to submit what they believed to be the perfect 9/11-memorial design in a blind contest. Which consisted of a well-rounded jury picked by the people and government one of which was Claire, a mother of two that had lost her husband to the tragedy two years ago and was chosen by family members to represent their voice during the blind contest.

Claire had fallen in love with the Garden Design for the memorial for both its geometrical shapes and what the garden symbolized. She fought hard to keep that beauty running throughout the competition. This is where the next submission comes into play in this story; at the end of the blind contest the other jurors though first hesitant about the garden design submitted to choosing this design to represent the 9/11-Memorial because of Claire’s emotional connection with it. Thus she was able to have the design she had grown to love over the weeks be chosen to represent the 9/11 Memorial and all was good until the winner was announced. “Yet reading the name brought no pleasure, only a painful tightening in his jaw. A Dark Horse indeed…Mohammad Kahn, He’s unsuitable by definition!”

This brings about the true definition of the submission within this fictional story. Who stays with the Garden after finding out the designer is Muslim, who rebels, who changes themselves to become acceptable to the society around them and what happens to Mohammad Khan, an American citizen, who finds out that he has become a pawn in this uninformed society’s game of terror.

The fear we all feel, see, or hear about what happened before, during, of after the 9/11 attack is depicted in this story in various outnumbering perspectives. As I read this story I was able to agree with some disagree with others but in the end I was able to empathize with each character for what she/he represented and even though the people were imaginary, real people defiantly inspired the characters’ personas and perspectives.