"The new American fairy tale is the current American nightmare in Jonathan Nelson's MEATLOAF. Three young adults struggle to survive in America during its greatest economic decline since the Great Depression. Unable to fulfill the necessities of religion, social and marital statuses; Helga, Nikolai, and Vader voyage through a world of depression and inner turmoil that exposes itself through harsh images of sexuality, laziness, and violence. MEATLOAF taps into the consciousness of a modern society with a deep sense of love and anguish."