Pugnus

by Sarah Monie

He lit up and inhaled the bitter sweet combination of petrol and tar. The lighters lid felt smooth and cold as he gently flipped it with a satisfying plink, up and back down. A metronome for his thoughts. Out of habit, he placed his thumb pad directly over the familiar uneven grain of words inscribed into the metal, to hide them or be closer to them, he was never sure…Jeremy’s story is by no means unique. What is unique, is the vantage point we have, as we watch his last days unfold. Not because we get to meet and listen to his dog’s thoughts on the seemingly mundane but happy time they spend together, but because we get to meet and listen to Jeremys own thoughts on the mediocre, or maybe even privileged daily life, which he eventually decides to leave.What we slowly begin to realise as the days go by, is that what you see depends on how you look.*TRIGGER WARNING – Contains material some people may find upsetting

135 pages, Hardcover

Published February 9, 2024

About the author

Overview -
Small self-published human, battling bad spelling and low to medium self worth ;)
(*AKA The odd thought doodler and occasional adult :D)

Details -

Name: Sarah
Place of birth: Earth
Age: Yes, I do
Hopes:
Changing the world, one story at a time x
Fears:
Spelling tests, Brown envelopes, My Manager asking to speak to me
Goals:
Adulting 10- Fun 10
Realistic Goals:
Adulting 7- Fun 5
Current Goals Score:
Adulting 1- Fun 0
Favourite quote:
"Always look harder at what you can already see" - Me 2001

And remember... What you see depends on how you look & your perspective depends on where you stand.
Stay muchy,
Sarah x

Reviews

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have to say, as I finished this one I re-read it all!
So many things conveyed in a relatively short book. I wish I could have 'met' Jeremy, and maybe been there for some of the things he faced alone. Such an emotive and beautifully honest narrative, and another superb win for depicting real peoples experiences of the hidden things in life.
Suicide is a tough subject. This is one of the best fiction stories I have found that brings the real human side of someone's experiences of the struggles some of us have with mental health and feeling alone. Very different approach and style and as good as 'Graceful', without a doubt! :') Now firmly one of my favorite authors!

[Dot McNairy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Picked this up as a bit of a wild card as not heard of the author but liked the feel. More a novella than a full novel, which I prefer. Absolutely blew me away and this doesn't happen often. Don't want to spoil it, but HAD to share, as this is a hidden gem! Give it a chance, you won't be disappointed if you like a serious, punchy read.