FantasticLand

Content Warning: This section of the guide includes discussion of graphic violence, death, and cursing.

“We were sitting there before the storm was even visible from the coast, and we knew this was going to be one of the worst disasters we’d ever seen. We knew the storm would kill people, and because of my job, I knew that the aftermath was probably going to kill more people than the storm. I was right.”

This quote foreshadows the violence that would come. Miranda suggests that even more lethal than the storm’s force was its aftereffects, including infrastructure failures, scarcities, and social disintegration. The last line—“I was right”—gives the quote a sense of inevitability and heightens tension.

“I understand why you’re focusing on this, Mr. Jakes. It’s sensational, and it’s amazing, and it speaks to the human capacity for evil. I would just beg you, after you’re done with this glitzy story, go out and talk to other people who survived Sadie.”

This quote shines light on the tension between sensationalism and the deeper human impact of tragedy. Miranda acknowledges the enticing nature of the FantasticLand story but encourages Jakes to consider the other survivors’ encounters. The expression “human capacity for evil” implies that the happenings surrounding Hurricane Sadie uncovered unsettling truths about human character. However, the appeal to “seek out other people who lived through Sadie” moves the emphasis from the horror itself to the fortitude and suffering of those affected.

“It wasn’t until much later that I learned who he was, and I didn’t feel so bad for him anymore. It was Bryce Hockney, he was the one who died. Yeah, that Hockney. I mean, if your brother is a monster, how far does the acorn fall from the family tree, right? He didn’t get his inhaler, and it probably saved us some issues in the grand scheme of things.”

This quote reflects the unsettling moral shifts that occur in extreme circumstances. Sam Garliek initially expressed sympathy for Bryce Hockney, but after learning Bryce’s identity, his perspective changed entirely. Sam assumes that Bryce shared his brother’s violent tendencies, despite a lack of direct evidence. The final remark about Bryce’s inhaler—implying that his death was beneficial—reveals how survival in FantasticLand warped morals, making death a pragmatic outcome rather than a