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Everybody's Special
“If life was as simple as ‘being the best,’ we’d all just be a bunch of comic book characters.”
“The Blackbird” Phoenix Merlo is only a boxer by title, for someone who throws fights for money barely deserves such an honor. For the sake of appeasing his debts, he’s sacrificed his chances at true happiness, all because of one mistake he’s never let go of. What follows is a never-ending cycle of success and failure, rebirth and self-destruction—trapping the Blackbird in an impenetrable cage.
Questioning the meaning of his life, Phoenix desperately tries to find the moment that would make it all worth it—the moment that will finally make him feel special. And in order to break out of the cage, the Blackbird will do anything… even break his own wing.
The story of Everybody’s Special is an existentialist tale of violent proportions, combining the thought-provoking essence of philosophy with the bloody realism of boxing and mixed martial arts.
“The Blackbird” Phoenix Merlo is only a boxer by title, for someone who throws fights for money barely deserves such an honor. For the sake of appeasing his debts, he’s sacrificed his chances at true happiness, all because of one mistake he’s never let go of. What follows is a never-ending cycle of success and failure, rebirth and self-destruction—trapping the Blackbird in an impenetrable cage.
Questioning the meaning of his life, Phoenix desperately tries to find the moment that would make it all worth it—the moment that will finally make him feel special. And in order to break out of the cage, the Blackbird will do anything… even break his own wing.
The story of Everybody’s Special is an existentialist tale of violent proportions, combining the thought-provoking essence of philosophy with the bloody realism of boxing and mixed martial arts.
321 pages, Paperback
Published February 11, 2023
1 person want to read
About the author
Christopher Griffin
1 bookChristopher Griffin is a debut author from Mobile, Alabama. His first book, Everybody’s Special, was released in February 2023 and is inspired by his passion of learning about and practicing martial arts and MMA, as well as learning about philosophy. Chris attended Florida A&M University and has a bachelor’s degree in computer science. When not writing, Chris enjoys working out, playing video games, and reading comic books. Chris is also the grandson of Rosie Broughton, writer of the novel Memoir of Emili-Rose.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
March 15, 2023
Everybody's Special
I recently finished reading "Everybody's Special" by Christopher Griffin, and I am still reeling from the emotional and philosophical impact of this unique sports urban fiction. Griffin masterfully weaves together a gritty, compelling narrative that combines the brutal world of boxing and mixed martial arts with profound existential questions.
The protagonist, Phoenix Merlo, known as "The Blackbird," is a deeply flawed yet relatable character. As a boxer who throws fights to pay off debts, he struggles with his identity and purpose. This internal conflict propels the reader through a harrowing journey of self-discovery and redemption.
Griffin's use of a fighter's dictionary at the beginning of the book is a clever addition, allowing readers unfamiliar with the world of combat sports to understand and appreciate the authentic terminology used throughout the story. This inclusion enhances the reader's immersion into Phoenix's world and the challenges he faces.
As the narrative unfolds, the reader is forced to confront the harsh realities of the fighting world and the damage it can inflict on a person's soul. Through Phoenix's eyes, we are shown the power of redemption and the human desire to find meaning in our lives. The existentialist undertones provide depth and substance to the novel, elevating it beyond a simple tale of a fighter's struggles.
Overall, "Everybody's Special" is a thought-provoking, captivating, and gritty exploration of the human condition set against the backdrop of the brutal world of boxing and mixed martial arts. Christopher Griffin has crafted a powerful and unforgettable story that will leave readers questioning their own purpose and the sacrifices we make to find our place in the world. Highly recommended for fans of sports fiction, urban fiction, and those who enjoy deep philosophical themes in their reading.
I recently finished reading "Everybody's Special" by Christopher Griffin, and I am still reeling from the emotional and philosophical impact of this unique sports urban fiction. Griffin masterfully weaves together a gritty, compelling narrative that combines the brutal world of boxing and mixed martial arts with profound existential questions.
The protagonist, Phoenix Merlo, known as "The Blackbird," is a deeply flawed yet relatable character. As a boxer who throws fights to pay off debts, he struggles with his identity and purpose. This internal conflict propels the reader through a harrowing journey of self-discovery and redemption.
Griffin's use of a fighter's dictionary at the beginning of the book is a clever addition, allowing readers unfamiliar with the world of combat sports to understand and appreciate the authentic terminology used throughout the story. This inclusion enhances the reader's immersion into Phoenix's world and the challenges he faces.
As the narrative unfolds, the reader is forced to confront the harsh realities of the fighting world and the damage it can inflict on a person's soul. Through Phoenix's eyes, we are shown the power of redemption and the human desire to find meaning in our lives. The existentialist undertones provide depth and substance to the novel, elevating it beyond a simple tale of a fighter's struggles.
Overall, "Everybody's Special" is a thought-provoking, captivating, and gritty exploration of the human condition set against the backdrop of the brutal world of boxing and mixed martial arts. Christopher Griffin has crafted a powerful and unforgettable story that will leave readers questioning their own purpose and the sacrifices we make to find our place in the world. Highly recommended for fans of sports fiction, urban fiction, and those who enjoy deep philosophical themes in their reading.
March 19, 2023
“I don’t know how I’ll feel tomorrow, but today, I just want to be free. This is my mural, and my mural is what makes me special”
There’re books that are so good and so well written that you enjoy reading them and are so interesting that you should take a look even if you don't know much about boxing. If on top of that you are a fan of this art, then this reading it’s directly essential.
“ Everybody’s Special” tell us the story of Phoenix Merlo, a boxer who has had to make many sacrifices in his life, how the decisions he made can change his live from one moment to the next, with many doubts and insecurities. We’ll accompany him in the challenges that arise and remember how despite being in the darkest point of your life, it’s possible to get ahead. He stole the story, he is a very complex character that is full of many layers to discover.
At the heart of this amazing book are struggle, despair, failures, regrets, achievements, dreams, many thoughts and themes that will leave you pondering.
The author's writing style manages to hook you so that you can't stop putting the book down until you finish it
I’m very thankful for adding a “Fighter’s Dictionary”at the beginning of the book, there were several terms that I did not know before, it was interesting to learn more about it.
This is definitely a book I'll be thinking about for a long time.
There’re books that are so good and so well written that you enjoy reading them and are so interesting that you should take a look even if you don't know much about boxing. If on top of that you are a fan of this art, then this reading it’s directly essential.
“ Everybody’s Special” tell us the story of Phoenix Merlo, a boxer who has had to make many sacrifices in his life, how the decisions he made can change his live from one moment to the next, with many doubts and insecurities. We’ll accompany him in the challenges that arise and remember how despite being in the darkest point of your life, it’s possible to get ahead. He stole the story, he is a very complex character that is full of many layers to discover.
At the heart of this amazing book are struggle, despair, failures, regrets, achievements, dreams, many thoughts and themes that will leave you pondering.
The author's writing style manages to hook you so that you can't stop putting the book down until you finish it
I’m very thankful for adding a “Fighter’s Dictionary”at the beginning of the book, there were several terms that I did not know before, it was interesting to learn more about it.
This is definitely a book I'll be thinking about for a long time.
March 25, 2023
A gritty and thought-provoking novel that explores the harsh realities of life and the human struggle for meaning. The story follows "The Blackbird" Phoenix Merlo, a boxer who throws fights for money and sacrifices his happiness to pay off his debts. Despite his success in the ring, he is trapped in a cycle of self-destruction and questions the meaning of his life. As he searches for the one moment that will make it all worth it, he must face his own existential questions and even break his own wing to break free from his cage.
March 27, 2023
A powerful and visceral novel that will leave readers on the edge of their seats. The story of Phoenix Merlo is both tragic and inspiring, as he fights to break free from his own self-destructive tendencies and find meaning in his life. The brutal realism of the boxing scenes is balanced by the deep philosophical questions that the novel raises, making for a truly immersive reading experience. This is a must-read for anyone who loves a good existential tale with a punch.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews