3 out of 4 stars
Share This Review
His Fool by Garry Sullivan is a work of fiction based on an autobiography. The author narrates the life of a young man who comes from a troubled family and provides insight into various events that shape his life.
Peter is an enthusiastic soon-to-be teenager coming into his own. The sight of flesh and blood leaves him frightened when he sees his older sister, Leanne, mutilating herself. Leanne runs away from home, and the aftermath is unfolding secrets which shatter the family, leading Peter on an unexpected journey of self-discovery. The author takes the reader through Peter's highs, his lows, his grave mistakes, and some of the life-threatening situations he finds himself in.
I like how artfully the author tackled the themes of self-harm, suicide, and drug abuse. He presented the victims as damaged individuals with empty souls. Although I pitied them, it raised the question of society's role in protecting the vulnerable without pushing them to the limit. The author takes the reader on a tour of psychiatric hospitals and vividly describes the patients' conditions. Mental health is a topic that's spoken of in hushed tones. The author iterates this by describing mental institutions as a part of society that people prefer to ignore. I, however, couldn't help but admire the dedication of the doctors and nurses who looked after the patients.
Through the characters' interactions, the author dissects underlying societal prejudices. In one instance, a teenage boy had sex with an older woman. Surprisingly, I wasn't as unsettled as I would've been if it was the other way round. He also highlighted the constant battle between good and evil and presented it as a continuous debate between guardian angels and evil spirits. When faced with a dilemma, the characters heard voices feeding them conflicting ideas. It was refreshing when someone made the right decision, and I was relieved when an individual escaped danger. The well-rounded characters aren't without flaws. That makes them relatable, but some are determined evildoers.
There's something for lovers of poetry because the author includes insightful poems that complement the work. He also uses inspirational Bible verses, which are meant to solidify the characters' faith in a higher power. He described one particular event from different people's perspectives. I found that insightful because it left me with a deeper understanding of the text.
In the description, the author warned that faint-hearted readers should stay away from the book. The gore is unsettling, and in some instances, I had to pause and take a deep breath. For this reason, I'll recommend the book to lovers of horror stories and mature readers who can stomach gory scenes. Since I spotted typos (mostly misspelled words) on almost every page, I'll recommend that the text undergoes a round of editing to eliminate them. The errors lower the rating to 3 out of 4 stars.
******
His Fool
View: on Bookshelves
Like Mercy Bolo's review? Post a comment saying so!
