Mesolimbic Press
The American Cure
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HAPPINESS IS NO LONGER A CHOICE; IT’S A PRESCRIPTION.America has disintegrated. The south lies scarred by a radiological catastrophe; foreign governance administers what remains in the north. Within this degenerate autocracy, memories of a great past are repressed, and the future is biomedically engineered.In the wreckage of a dystopian Detroit, Aria struggles to finish her doctoral thesis on the neurochemical basis of pleasure. But her research isn’t just academic – she self-medicates to suppress intense antisocial tendencies born of a troubled past.Her only solace is the music of the subnation’s most pathologically morbid rock star. But when her idol, Thane, undergoes a radical neurosurgical cure, his transformation spurs a cultural whiplash. Then, a disastrous flaw found in her research sends her reeling. While a wave of hyper-gleeful teens invades the pop milieu, Aria goes off her meds and her carefully calibrated balance shatters.Amidst the revolt of melancholic hipsters and a shadowy surrogate government implementing a final solution—one that threatens to minimize free will in all who remain stranded in this sad new world—Aria must decide: will she submit to society’s imposed prescription, or will she accept herself for who she truly is—violent impulses and all?The American Cure is a strange, darkly humorous, and heartbreaking exploration of autonomy, identity, and the perilous pursuit of wellbeing
About the author
Donn Andrew Simmons holds a PhD in Neuroscience and Animal Behavior from Emory University, with a foundational background in biology, psychology, and chemistry from West Virginia University. After a postdoctoral fellowship investigating behavioral neurophysiology at the UCSF Department of Neurosurgery, he began bridging the gap between hard science and narrative exploration. A member of the Screen Actors Guild since 2006, he brings a unique dual perspective to fiction—merging the cold precision of the lab with the emotional depth of the stage. Originally from West Virginia, he now lives and writes in San Francisco, exploring the intersection of the brain, the soul, and the stories we tell. Away from the workstation, he enjoys exploring foreign cities on foot and munching strange snacks en route.
Reviews (4.4 / 5 ★)
Unique and humorous examination of a near-future dystopian psychotropic catastrophe
★★★★★
The American Cure by Donn Simmons is fast-paced unflinching examination of a near-future dystopian world where psychopharmacology, pop culture, higher education scientific research, and a collapsing social fabric intersect with well-developed characters to portray a world that is scarily plausible.The author's use of sardonic humor allows an up-close-and-personal examination of difficult topics such as depression, influencer culture, the saturation of psychotropic medications in society and the influence of childhood trauma on young adult behaviors. The American Cure takes these themes and plays them across a landscape of an academic system as broken as the society it purports to serve, while the characters Aria and Eric attempt to navigate through their own lives with the burdens of a world in decline and their own difficulties both past and present.Simmons does an exemplary job weaving this narrative in a fast-paced, quick-cut narrative that is simultaneously beautiful and horrific and not without more than a few laugh out loud moments.With the country in ruins, higher education in steep decline, suicide the trending vogue, and mental health care is in your breakfast cereal, The American Cure asks "Can't we just be happy?" An exciting and eminently readable first work from this author.I received a free copy of this book from the author and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.Get some wonderful, April 6 2026
★★★★★
Too dangerous for tax-payers!
If the administration of Soma in Brave New World piques your curiosity, you’ll fall in love with the cornucopia of psychopharmacology the characters in American Cure pursue. “OTC” takes on a new dimension, when people are popping sedatives for breakfast; if the idea of “Chocolate Frosted Sugar Bombs” for your pet tiger interests you, their shopping for supplemental energy analgesics is akin to our choosing from the overstimulating myriad of cereals. Instead of soothing drugs, the alternative is to give in to the ennui… the inevitable self-harm that the post-apocalyptic dystopian landscape Detroit presents to its residents at the end of this century.Large sections of the book are dedicated to scientific descriptions of “social medication” - what I mean by that is that social functioning depends upon a combination of uppers and antipsychotics. Paroxysms of academia drub the lives of dreamers - of those unfortunate discriminates with less than practical nihilistic outlook - who hope for a better future in any viable professional role. The crumbling skyline of a decimated school (where corpses litter the snowdrifts, but don’t distract from the joy of spring’s arrival) offer an academic backdrop to more than half the story.The other half speaks to the self-indulgence of ennui through the life of an über-goth band-god, a not-too-subtle commentary of the grunge movement. In graphic detail, the psychology of the punk movement is autopsied by the band’s fans, our true-life archetypal children.Not unlike today, the USS ship of state careens off icebergs of fatalism to barge towards obsolescence. The cure is evidently a numbing and drug induced escapism, but transcendence is possible by facing the stark reality of shadowy existence to overcome the malaise.The American Cure by Donn Simmons, April 7 2026
★★★★★
In a not-too-distant future, the world as we know it has ceased to exist. With a lack of identity, society is pushed into a chaotic disconnect. The American Cure by Donn Simmons gives readers a front row seat to the madness. It opens loud, brash, and dizzy. With quirky characters and humor, a feeling I was about to be taken on a wild journey.We follow the heroine Aria, through her monotonous days as a researcher. A self-imposed prisoner within the institution of academia. Her escape is always just beyond reach. Disillusioned by life and content to watch the world burn, she soon encounters Eric. Smitten and searching, Eric falls for Aria and in his naivety is unwittingly pulled down a path not his own. From the shadows, a disfigured man watches over Eric, instinctively knowing something is seriously awry. The story unfolds from there jumping through time, taking place across depressed Appalachia to the desolate cold of Detroit. From the environmental wasteland of Shanxi to what remains of the US, a collision of lives is set to intersect in a grand spectacle.As back stories were revealed, I felt a deep sense of connection to each character. Gritty and hilarious yet with circumstances heartbreaking to read. Ultimately sparking introspection in myself, a reminder to be true to oneself. The ending moments hit hard, highlighting the importance of true friendship. Despite life’s complexities, sometimes answers can be simple and are well within reach. In the decline of our modern world, we all still hold the power to honor ourselves and others with kindness.Overall, an incredible journey and fun read! Both nostalgic and futuristic, it has a peculiar sci-fi quality that kept me turning the pages and lingering in my mind. A truly unique read, I highly recommend! I received an advance copy of this book and am leaving this review voluntarily.March 21 2026
★★★★★
A dark and thrilling dystopian roller coaster ride.
Review of advance copy received from AuthorDifferent and disturbing, April 29 2026
★★★★
The American Cure was different from what I've been reading lately and I really enjoyed that. The author's use of humor to explore tough subjects was well done. It was fast paced and left me both terrified and laughing.
Review of advance copy received from AuthorApril 16 2026
★★★★
I was given an advance copy of this book with my promise of writing an honest review.
First I want to note that the writing itself reflects great care and craftsmanship. Each scene and character is vividly drawn with carefully chosen descriptive language, at times approaching art, at times with comedic effects that help in managing the overall tension of encountering this broken world.
We know climate change is most certainly going to fundamentally disrupt our world, and we must wonder what changes these future catastrophes will force upon us. Speculative fiction writers perform the service of spinning out potential scenarios for us to contemplate, considering how the human nature and spirit may adapt, or fail to adapt, to the upending of life as we have known it. With this story, Simmons provides us with just such a thought experiment.
This is a deeply dystopian vision, grimdark and gritty....and not for everyone. While the catastrophe in this story is the result of widespread exposure to radiation, and not climate change per se, the resulting upheaval likely tracks with what we might experience under those circumstances. The reader encounters this world through the points of view of several interesting, though not always likable, characters, who keep trying to build a way of living against many obstacles. And when your technology and your society are so broken, one thing you can do, one thing left in your control, is to manipulate your own body and brain. So these people, especially the young people, turn to self-medicating with drugs to cope with their deep-seated nihilism. This provides the segue for bringing neuroscience into the mix (actually, this story could be considered hard science fiction, but the hard science part is for neuroscience rather than the usual physics tropes). And I want to add, from my personal experience with neuroscience research, that Simmons really is relating exactly what it's like to muck around with rat brains and get the data that the science is built on. And his depiction of how science fails to work as an institution is regrettably spot on. I don't know of any other works of fictions that have really explored that territory.
Potential readers may be put off by the miasma of darkness and despair through the story, and to some extent that may be due to a reluctance to face the darker aspects of our human nature. However, there are spots of light and even grace to be found here in these lives, and the reader's trip through this world may enhance their own experience of it.March 12 2026
★★★★
The American Cure by Donn Andrew Simmons is an ambitious and often unsettling work of fiction that imagines a future shaped by medical technology, pharmaceutical culture, and shifting social norms. Simmons clearly has a vivid imagination and a willingness to explore big, uncomfortable questions about health, power, and the ways society tries to “fix” human suffering.The book creates a strange, sometimes chaotic, world filled with memorable imagery and dark satire. At its best, the writing is bold and cinematic, and the author’s ideas about medicine, government influence, and human behavior is unflinching. There are moments that are genuinely thought-provoking, especially when the story touches on how medical systems and social pressures intersect with mental health.That said, I did occasionally find the narrative difficult to follow. The story moves quickly between characters, timelines, and scenes, and the dense world-building can make it challenging to keep track of what’s happening at times. Readers who enjoy experimental or unconventional storytelling may appreciate this complexity more than I did.Overall, The American Cure is a distinctive and imaginative novel that isn’t afraid to take risks. While the structure and pacing didn’t always work for me, I appreciated the originality of the premise and the author’s willingness to tackle complex themes in a bold, unconventional way.
Review of advance copy received from AuthorFebruary 27 2026
★★★★
Aria navigates her way through the barren destruction that is now Detroit. The author uses witty humor to weave this well thought out and well crafted story. Eric falls into the story and falls for Aria. Their background and stories are woven together in a way that connects you to them. Sci fi dystopian world. Enjoyed the book.
Review of advance copy received from AuthorApril 2 2026
★★★★
Ok i will admit dystopian is not my thing and yet the premise was so intriguing that I wanted to read it. I did enjoy the story for the most part, mostly the humor added in to a crumbling world. Its the sort of humor most use to deal with things they cannot change and the dumpster fire that society has become. Its very much a dystopian book. All the politics involved and the destruction of life as we know it. However, unlike most dystopian novels, its set around psychedelic medication, pop culture, and scientific research. Its very odd to the say the least and possibly the reason I finished this book so fast. Kind of terrifying if I ponder too long on the story. For fans of dystopian fiction, I think this will be a massive hit. For me, while not my genre, it was still an intresting read.
Review of advance copy received from Author