Review - DMV by Bentley Little

Synopsis -

Successful author Todd Klein and his wife Rosita live a quiet small town life. Todd's latest novel is selling well and despite recent budget cuts, Rosita relishes her job at the local library. After years of marriage, they're still in love, the mortgage to their suburban home is paid off, and their future is bright. Until, that is, Todd makes an appointment at the Department of Motor Vehicles to renew his license.

Jorge Guiterrez, Rosita's younger brother, hasn't been so lucky. A few months earlier, his bad temper finally caught up with him. After arguing with a supervisor, Jorge quit his cushy job and hasn't been able to find a new one. The bills are piling up and his wife is starting to pressure him. Until, one day, he is approached by a pair of mysterious strangers with an even more mysterious job offer...at the DMV.

Zal Tombasian, a young programmer at Data Initiatives, has a pretty boring existence. As his friend and co-worker Bernard tells him, "Your social life consists of sitting at home eating junk food and playing online games." Zal doesn't even bother to put up an argument. He's never been much for adventure. Until his company is hired to work on their largest account yet...by the DMV.

With his latest novel, Bentley Little's savage satire is on full display as he takes on everyone's worst nightmare, the DMV.

Review -

I have long been a fan of Bentley Little, so I was more than a little delighted to see the twisted take he would deliver with DMV.

If you haven't read Little before, what you get is absurdist, sometimes crazy, horror that delivers some form of satirical social commentary. DMV is probably a little heavy-handed in that department, but it does not dissuade from the enjoyment of what is a typical Little book.

What we find out is that the DMV existed long before motorized vehicles, with some ancient force building their power over the centuries, creating literal worker bees in the process.

There are times when the absurdity gets a touch out of control, and I found the ending to be a bit underwhelming, but this was still an enjoyable book that fans of bentley Little will definitely gobble up.

4.5 stars out of 5