Midwestern Blues in Halle Butler's "Banal Nightmare"

By Madeline Schultz on July 16, 2024

In the land of "dowdy idiots" comes another hilarious and beautifully written novel from Chicagoan author Halle Butler, a 2017 honoree of the National Book Foundation's 5 under 35 award and the author of the breakout debut The New Me. I heard rave reviews about The New Me and was thrilled to have a chance to review Butler's third novel, Banal Nightmare, and I was far from disappointed.

Set in what can only be described as a "banal" anonymous midwestern town, we follow Margaret "Moddie" as she flees big city Chicago to her hometown after a traumatic breakup and the breakdown of her social circle. Upon her return, she finds cliques, an unwelcoming greeting, and self-loathing galore. She clings to her only friend, Nina, and kind-of-but-not-really friend, Pam, who both attempt to integrate her back into small town society. Moddie is miserable, and so is the rest of town. Moddie is not likable, ignoring social cues and taking a pessimistic stance on most every issue. She'sa menace of a neighbor in her town of X.

One of the most admirable aspects of Banal Nightmare is the sheer scope of characterization that Butler brings the reader into. We follow nearly eight characters in depth, and at no point did I feel confused about who was doing what and where. Pam is dating Craig (they hate each other) while having an emotional affair with David (in whom Moddie is also interested),a deadbeat artist hired by Bethany (frenemies with Kimberly, who is god awful) and employs Pam (who slowly begins to resent Moddie for usurping her place in Bethany's heart). All of this is just the tip of the iceberg, and the entire time I was rapt with these characters, who make themselves miserable and go about their uninteresting and monotonous lives, because of Butler's prose. Shifting seamlessly from rants to riotously funny blanket statements like "Moddie had to stop for a second because she was feeling a little high and she couldn't remember if she actually had a personality or opinions or if she was just a vessel through which bullshit passed." I couldn't stop turning the pages to hear more rants about how much these people hate living in their lives.

I think my love for Banal Nightmare is amplified by my Midwestern upbringing. I've lived in Wisconsin, Minnesota, and now Chicago, and the book was all the more enjoyable because of just how relatable it felt. I read this book as a satire on the Midwest, playing into the stereotypes and assumptions that people from the coasts and cities hold about the upper middle region of the states. While I would say that Butler doesn't portray these Midwestern characters in the finest lighting, I enjoyed how the characters' feelings played off their surroundings and made this feeling of extreme monotony really felt. Moddie's existential dread with a backdrop of Jesus billboards and Paneras brought to life the feeling of being stuck in a hometown.

Of course, random billboards and no fine dining options aren't the reason these people are miserable. The whole point is that it's not the place, it's the person. Moddie has just left the third biggest city in America, and she was just as discontent there as in her small town. Kimberly and Pam were home owners with careers and ambitions, and yet they hated their husbands and would sell their souls for a morsel of pretty gossip about their friends. While a small town can be claustrophobic, Moddie and companies' story encourages us to exercise our agency in our own lives and recognize that happiness comes from within.

It is important to recognize here, as Butler does (albeit through the hateful ranting of Kimberly), that this mentality and self-discovery arc is only possible with a good amount of financial privilege. It's clear from the beginning that Moddie must be well-off, as she moves back to her hometome, notably where her parents do not reside, and proceeds to live with no job or income to speak of for months. It is actually during this time that she is the most miserable, wallowing in self pity and hatred largely out of boredom. Contrastingly, the other characters of the town are spiteful because of their jobs, marriages, and homes, and wish they could be like Moddie while simultaneously resenting her for her privilege. In the end, though, it is Moddie who comes to this realization that she can change her outlook on life, whereas the rest remain jaded and bitter. Whether or not Butler meant this as a commentary on class privilege I don't know, but I certainly picked up on the way it felt not-so-coincidental that Moddie, the financially well-off one, came out on top.

Of all the books I've read thus far in 2024, Banal Nightmare has secured a top spot on the list. Halle Butler brings together stunning prose, the Midwest, and a group of compellingly original characters to create what is truly, in the best way possible, a banal nightmare. Perfectly named and perfectly executed, Butler's third novel is a true masterpiece, one that takes you on a Midwestern journey and leaves you anything but bored.