MacKenzie Scott Self-Publishes Dystopian Novel on Substack, Raising Questions About Amazon's Influence
In August, MacKenzie Scott unveiled her third book, "Last Days in Two Nations," releasing it in parts on Substack, a departure from her earlier works with major publishers. Set in a fractured America, the dystopian tale contrasts the Dakota Membership, headed by President Damian Paxton, with Still United. There is speculation that Scott's decision to avoid Amazon may be a statement against her former spouse, Jeff Bezos. Although the novel has faced criticism for its clichés and typos, it follows characters like Liv Lockhart as they navigate a repressive regime and a resistance movement. While it satirizes authoritarianism, the narrative lacks structural coherence and depth, reflecting on human compliance with power without embracing uncertainty.
Key facts
- MacKenzie Scott published her third novel, "Last Days in Two Nations," in installments on Substack in August.
- The novel is a dystopian fiction set in a near-future America divided into the Dakota Membership and Still United.
- Scott's first two novels were published by Big Five houses; her debut, "The Testing of Luther Albright" (2005), won an American Book Award.
- Toni Morrison taught Scott at Princeton and praised her debut novel.
- Amazon's Kindle Direct Publishing, as noted by Mark McGurl in "Everything and Less," enabled untold numbers of aspiring authors to self-publish, often in genre fiction.
- The novel features eighteen characters and takes place over a week, with plotlines involving surveillance, genetic editing, and a cult.
- Commentators have criticized the novel for typos, clichés, and a lack of editing; Vanity Fair insinuated this as a reason for self-publication.
- The novel's satire targets President Damian Paxton, a megalomaniacal leader with similarities to Donald Trump.
Entities
Artists
- MacKenzie Scott
- Jeff Bezos
- Toni Morrison
- Mark McGurl
- George Eliot
- Donald Trump
- Liv Lockhart
- Damian Paxton
- Magnus Lockhart
- Gary Handler
- Enrique
- Jonah
Institutions
- Substack
- Amazon
- Kindle Direct Publishing
- Wall Street Journal
- Business Insider
- Vanity Fair
- Princeton University
- Church of the Long Tomorrow
- Bureau of Rewards for Courage
- Big Five publishers
- The New Yorker
Locations
- United States
- North Dakota
- South Dakota
- Sacramento
- California
- Nevada
- South Africa
- Mt. Rushmore