American Blasphemer

A LITERARY REVIEW

A LITERARY REVIEW: AMERICAN BLASPHEMER American Blasphemer By Jadan Horyn By Jadan Horyn

Sacrilegious. Irreverent. Shocking. All apt superlatives for John Matthew Gillen’s debut episodic novel: American Blasphemer. Part narrative, part collection of short stories, part memoir, part fiction the book follows the life of a twenty-something lovesick heretic; a young man deeply wounded by life, liars, and lost Sacrilegious. Irreverent. Shocking. All apt superlatives for John Matthew Gillen’s debut episodic novel, American Blasphemer. Part narrative, part collection of short love, who is bold enough to confront the absolute stories, part memoir, part fiction, the book authentic insanity that everyday existence throws follows the life of a twenty-something lovesick at him. heretic; a young man deeply wounded by life, liars, and lost love, who is bold enough to Deeply human and totally absurd, the reader confront the absolute authentic insanity that confronts accounts of mundanity that Mr. Gillen everyday existence throws at him. invariably paints in vivid colors with deep descriptors that hover on the edge of believability. Deeply human and totally absurd, when the book confronts the reader with accounts of In Manslaughter at Fight Club, Mr. Gillen is knocked mundanity that Mr. Gillen invariably paints in out cold on the dance floor after dancing on vivid colors with deep descriptors that hover another man’s woman. As he comes to, a man on the edge of believability. offers to assist him with ice and invites him to a place where he can let out the desire for revenge. He went. In “Manslaughter at Fight Club”, Mr. Gillen is knocked out cold on the dance floor after “At 2:00am I was standing on the corner of Fortieth and Park. Hi Bob I said” - a direct connection to Fight dancing on another man’s woman. As he comes to, a man offers to assist him with ice Club - “You ready? He asked. I am Jack’s raging and invites him to a place where he can let bile duct. He smiled and took a blanket out of his out the desire for revenge. He went. backpack. Take this and sit up there. They won’t know you’re here. Just watch for tonight. “At 2:00 am I was standing on the corner of Fortieth and Park. Hi Bob, I said” - a direct “By 3:00am there were eight of them. Eight connection to Fight Club - “You ready? He anonymous men in a little circle outside of a Park asked. I am Jack’s raging bile duct. He smiled Avenue office building at 3:00am in the dead of and took a blanket out of his backpack. Take winter. There was something low about them. this and sit up there. They won’t know you’re Stooped shoulders. Eyes on the street. Slow feet. here. Just watch for tonight.

Desperate losers with impotent rage. They all had their reasons for being there and most of the “By 3:00 am there were eight of them. Eight reasons were obvious.” - anonymous men in a little circle outside of a Park Avenue office building at 3:00 am in the dead of winter. There was something low about them. Stooped shoulders. Eyes on the street. Slow feet. Desperate losers with impotent rage. They all had their reasons for being there and most of the reasons were obvious.” What followed was a tirade of verbal vitriol delivered to each man. They demeaned and castigated each other. This accelerated until one man said something that hit an unknown and hidden hurt. That man lashed out and slashed the other man with something else he had hidden - a knife. “I was still shivering on the steps outside the Kalikow building as the sun came up Sunday morning. Staring at the blood. Counting scars. I never went back to Fight Club. But I still have the blanket.” It is these small narratives, with their disarming non-linear story resolutions and abrupt endings that make American Blasphemer an unstoppable read. In story after story, witty rejoinders or lack of conclusion leaves the reader stunned either laughing to themselves or shocked and deep in thought. Mr. Gillen has woven a tapestry of 2020s twentysomething male angst. The novel is raw and powerful. It is a must-read for those seeking a literary shock-jock tour de force coupled with deep spiritual hunger and lost love.

What followed was a tirade of verbal vitriol delivered to each man. They demeaned and castigated each other. This accelerated until one man said something that hit an unknown and hidden hurt. That man lashed out and slashed the other man with something else he had hidden - a knife. “I was still shivering on the steps outside the Kalikow building as the sun came up Sunday morning. Staring at the blood. Counting scars. I never went back to Fight Club. But I still have the blanket.” It is these small narratives, with their disarming non-linear story resolutions, and abrupt endings that make American Blasphemer an unstoppable read. In story after story, witty rejoinders or lack of conclusion leaves the reader stunned either laughing to themselves or shocked and deep in thought. Mr. Gillen has woven a tapestry of 2020’s twenty-something male angst. The novel is raw and powerful. It is a must-read for those seeking a literary shock-jock tour de force coupled with deep spiritual hunger and lost love. American Blasphemer will offend but great literature ought to challenge us with authentic reflections of our own experiences. This is not just another novel, and it is not meant to be, but for those who have earned their place in the home of the brave, Blasphemer throws down the literary gauntlet. American Blasphemer will offend but great literature ought to challenge us with authentic You can purchase American Blasphemer reflections of our own experiences. This is not on Amazon:https://www.amazon.com/ just another novel, and it is not meant to be, American-Blasphemer-John-Matthew-Gillen/ but for those who have earned their place in dp/1951937120 the home of the brave, Blasphemer throws down the literary gauntlet.

You can purchase American Blasphemer on Amazon:https://www.amazon.com/ American-Blasphemer-John-Matthew-Gillen/ dp/1951937120