Virgil

by Samuel Alexander

If you are reading this then it is already too late. You’ve been drawn in, to a world filled with things you can’t escape. Darkness, evil, treachery and betrayals of the worst kind lie within these pages. I’d tell you to put the book down. Run while you are still safe, your mind unscathed, your world unshattered, but it would be futile. You want to know what happens, the depths of depravity and destruction in which one man's world could hold. Just what exactly happened to him? I know you want to find out. If I were you the intrigue would suck me in too, but know this--there is no turning back. Once the shadows inside these pages consume you, well even I dare not say. If there is even one ounce of willpower in you consider for a second not taking this journey, don’t swim in the black cave that is my mind don’t… I’m wasting my time. Now I know you feel you must enter. It would be a crime not to. But if you do, remember I did warn you, but you didn’t listen.

TRIGGER WARNING
This book contains themes of mental and sexual abuse, psychological abuse, and possibly other triggering topics. It is intended for adult audiences. If these things make you uncomfortable or will cause you trauma in any way this story is not safe for you.

233 pages, Kindle Edition

First published July 4, 2015

Reviews

[Suzanne Irving · Rating 5 out of 5]

WOW.
I knew from the description that this book was going to be a dark read so I thought I would read it in bits interspersed with doing other things. I found that I couldn’t put it down even to eat or sleep. It is extremely hard to read so pay attention to the warnings. Even though I do like dark reads this is one of the most intense and compelling stories I’ve ever read. This book is so well written that I was caught up in the lives of the characters from the very beginning. They were alive to me and I felt like I had to go on this terrible journey with them. I can’t say enough about how well I feel like this was written. I have read other books Samuel Alexander has written and enjoyed them but this eclipses all of the rest. It’s amazing. I want to explain more about why this book is so good but I realized that every time I think of something to say that it will give parts of the story away and if you feel like you are up to reading this story you deserve to read it the way it was written in all its glory. If I could I would give this book ten stars.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Joyffree · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had a love-hate relationship with this one

The story idea was solid and the brothers brought out my protective instincts but at times I felt a disconnect from the characters
From the events

As the story progressed my questions became more frequent
How? Why?
Things felt too improbable with no explanation or foundation to ground them - to keep me believing
Probably just me being picky

This is a very "dark end of the pool" read
It deals with some sensitive topics and social issues
The instinct to survive
The feelings of hopelessness
Psychosis
Heed Virgil's warnings at the beginning
His story is brutal but beautiful
There is light amid the darkness

[Hazel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Couldn't resist the blurb

This was terrific. I loved finding a book with actual darkness. It is def a new fave of mine. If you have triggers don't read it but if you need the dark side then it's a must-read.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Steve Maxwell · Rating 4 out of 5]

WOW OMG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This story is horrific, pathetically sad and will take you to places you really do not want to go.

I don't have the words to say how I felt, while reading this. The blurb below might seem like a selling tool. Believe me, it isn't.


If you are reading this, then it is already too late. You’ve been drawn in... to a world filled with things you can’t escape. Darkness, evil, treachery, and betrayals of the worst kind lay within these pages. I’d tell you to put the book down, run while you are still safe, your mind unscathed, your world unshattered... but it would be futile. You want to know what happens—the depths of depravity and destruction which one man's world could hold.

Just what, exactly, happened to him?

I know you want to find out. If I were you, the intrigue would suck me in too, but know this: There is no turning back. Once the shadows inside these pages consume you—well, even I dare not say... If there is even one ounce of willpower in you, consider for a second not taking this journey; don’t swim in the black cave that is my mind—don’t… I’m wasting my time. Now, I know you feel you must enter. It would be a crime not to. But if you do, remember I did warn you—but you didn’t listen.

TRIGGER WARNING This book contains themes of mental and sexual abuse, psychological abuse, and possibly other triggering topics. It is intended for adult audiences. If these things make you uncomfortable or will cause you trauma in any way, this story is not safe for you.

[Dawn Weast · Rating 5 out of 5]

Deep dive into raw trauma and triumph over pure evil.

I have to preface this review by saying I’ve never read something this intense before. The author paints a picture of control and depravity that tests the limits of how much trauma a person can imagine.
The characters are well written, sympathetic, and complex. There is love, humor, joy, hate, abuse, and redemption. It’s a fantastical slice of life if all the rules were distorted and a little bit of hell leaked through.
I both love and hate this novel and it will have space in my head for a long time to come.

[Isaiah]

I got an ARC of this book.

The voice I love from the author’s newest books just isn’t present here. I don’t think it could be, the story is so much darker. So while it makes sense it felt like it was missing something for me.

The villains make no sense. The abuse makes no sense. I just don’t get the appeal of this one. DNF at 29%

[Barry Moroney · Rating 3 out of 5]

Virgil

I could not get through this book, it was too distresing. I hope one day to come back to it

[Karyn H · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dark And Traumatizing Experience Story
Virgil's existence has been a fiery path. He has endured several assaults and traumas that continue to plague him to this day. This is a dramatic story that includes distressing incidences of sexual assault, involving incest and child abuse, as well as the inappropriate use of faith for evil means, suicide, and other mental health difficulties.
The different actors are powerful, each with their own role to play in the recounting of this narrative, and the storyteller keeps you interested. The narrative exposes numerous horrible experiences that folks might face in their lives... No one will ever truly understand the challenges that individuals encounter, no despite how "whole" they appear to the world. There will always be something to conquer and recover from.
"Virgil," by Samuel Alexander, is a thrilling tale that will keep you gasping and enthralled with each flip of the book. This stand-alone work contributes significantly to Samuel's developing fame as an author. A must-have on any shelf.

[Pearl · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is probably one of the darkest books ever written. Told in a second person point of view, Virgil is a novel written by Samuel Alexander. This book is not for the faint hearted though as you will find mental and sexual triggers, so you might want to re-consider before diving into it.

What I thought about this book after reading it was it was so well-written and so well-put together. Kudos to the writer for being bold and brave to come up with such a story that will put the reader out of his comfort zone! In addition, the narrative was spectacular. It was like I am listening to Virgil's voice while he was narrating what happened in his life. It would be great if there is an audiobook for this!

[Ros Barlow · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is one hectic and disturbing read - do not attempt this book if you cannot tolerate child sexual and physical abuse which is extreme. It’s not a terrible book but it’s very disturbing

[Phil Bolos · Rating 4 out of 5]

Virgil by Samuel Alexander is a very intense story that focuses on a variety of types of abuse that impact several characters throughout the narrative. Through determination and strength, the characters are able to rise above the abuse that they endure and find ways to become better as a result. I do think the story has some plot wholes that make it a little hard to believe or follow, but the raw nature of the story also helps the reader to see past that.
In all honesty, this story is not for the faint of heart. The characters go through and commit some very intense acts against one another and then need to deal with the fall out that comes afterward. I think these stories are necessary today to help bring to light some of the horrors that happen behind closed doors and make others aware of what may be going on around them. However, this will not be for everyone. Please take the author's warning seriously. With that, I do think there is a large audience who will enjoy and find an emotional connection to the characters here. I believe reading these types of novels is also a coping mechanism that may help others deal with trauma in their own past.

[Evelyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I always enjoy a good drama and without any doubt this one wasn't the exception. As soon as I read the first pages, I felt glued to the book and unable to put it down. Samuel Alexander is a clear, concise writer and he brings another level to what could have easily been a common story. Especially, I wanted to praise him for his sympathetic portrayal of the victim. He uses factual information to paint a real and in-depth portrait of the characters. This book is addressed explicitly to adults since it contains themes of abuse and triggering topics.
I dare to say that I'm very glad to have purchased this book. The quality of the writing is outstanding -so much so in fact that the text is increasing my interest in dark narratives.
I highly recommend “Virgil”, it is a great masterpiece.

[Linda Crandall · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars for the subtle yet expert writing of a horrific subject
What starts out as a rather colloquial conversation with the reader, in what could seem to be a banal writer's trick to lure in through voyeuristic fascination rapidly descends into the depths of a destructive hell. As the narrative continues, keeping the form of a recounting, seemingly perhaps to a general audience, perhaps to a therapist, perhaps just to someone who is ready to listen, the reader is pulled into a tale too terrible to be real, and yet all too true to life. A life few are ready to want to believe can exist, yet one we all know can and does. Perhaps not to the point of notoriety reached here, but too often nobody knows what really happens behind the closed doors of the quiet neighbor.....
Very well developed, the plotline, the storyline, the gradual growth and filling out of the characters and their vicissitudes, the absolute horror and utter despair in the inability to change what keeps happening.
The themes confronted are extremely powerful, can be/are triggering in the worst way, and leave very little hope for the cute little "happy ever after" of the usual story, but bring up problems that should be confronted instead of ignored, hidden or denied existence.

I found a free copy of this book on Booksprout and wanted to leave a review.

[Samantha · Rating 2 out of 5]

In the tradition of Flowers in the Attic, Virgil is an exploration of the ways that extreme abuse can change a person. It's also the story of how to come back from that. I can't tell you more about how the characters come back without spoiling the plot, but it's interesting.

Virgil is a book with a lot of potential, but is still in need of development to be a fully rendered novel. There are some harrowing and beautiful scenes, but it's uneven in quality and it doesn't hold together well structurally. There is too much repetition and angst-ridden waiting about and not taking action. Throughout the whole book, I was waiting for someone to take action, to intervene. No one did, and their reasons for not acting didn't play well for me.

I also didn't understand the villains. Very little was offered in terms of motivation for their evil acts, and what little there was did not convince me. Even given that the villains don't have a perspective scene, I would expect the victims to have come to their own understanding of what they thought was happening.

That said, there is some fine writing, some beautiful and poetic lines and as I said earlier, the abuse is harrowing to read. Some of the dialogue is perfect. There's the potential for an excellent book in these pages. 

[Cody James · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow. Well, this definitely lived up to the triggers that were presented at the begging of the book. This is not a light fluffy read…this is dark and twisted and one of the hardest books I’ve read in a while. I’m not even 100% sure how to review this book without spoilers but I’ll try. At the core of this story is abuse: religious, familial, absolutely friggin insane abuse. The kind of abuse that makes you uncomfortable, but you know the story is meant to be a powerful reminder of the horrors people go through so you can’t help but push on. There are really dark scenes that are just too dark even for the most prepared reader. I read this on a plane and found myself needing to take breaks just to breathe after some of the heaviest scenes. Absolutely take the time to read the trigger warnings involved with this story and make sure your headspace is in a good place before venturing into this. Is it worth it in the end? That’s hard to tell. I did like the main characters and their eventual partners, but the graphic abuse scenes are a lot. Proceed with caution.

[Nancy Johnson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a complex story that covers disturbing incidents of sexual abuses, including incest and child abuse, the wrongful use of religion for nefarious purposes, suicide and other mental health issues. The many characters are strong, having their place in the telling of this story, and the narrator keeps you tied in.

The difficulties I had included: at times losing track of who was speaking; the plan that was finally decided upon to end the abuse could have been executed years prior, and there was no reason given as to why they did not do so earlier; not a sufficient enough reason why the adult men were viewed only as victims.

Even given the above difficulties, the story brings out in the open many devastating traumas people can go through in life... No one can ever really know what difficulties people have lived through, no matter how "together" they may seem to the public. There is always something still to overcome and heal from.

[Reed · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first story I’ve read by this author. If you like dark, strongly emotional, hope it’s not true stories, this is a great one. I could not set this down. It is a book that once I started it, even though I knew it was fiction, I had to keep remembering that. This author wrote this story so realistic that as sad and horrible as some of the things that happen, I felt I was reading more a autobiography. This is also a story that if the reader has the warned triggers, don’t read this book. The characters in the book are described and developed so well that I started looking more at people around me wondering. That said, there are also some very emotional good things going on too. The friends the brothers make stay true. The way they survive daily is amazing. I read a lot and I don’t remember reading a story I felt this strong about.

[Aneley Sánchez · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really dark story.

Virgil is a stand-alone work written by Samuel Alexander. It is an intense novel that revolves around Virgil, his terrible past and all the darkness which lives in him. This book is aimed at a particular group of adults readers considering that it addresses issues like incest, child abuse, psychological maltreatment and others similar topic in a very explicit and detailed form.
This is a dark and hard story which got me goosebumps, much more than any thriller or horror story. I must say it isn't a reading for anybody because it has too heavy details but the author wrote it so well that when I started reading it, I couldn't stop. The plot is as hair-raising as engaging.

[MM Book · Rating 5 out of 5]

Samuel Alexander's Virgil is definitely not for the faint of the heart. But if you like books that are dark with lots of triggers or you don't have any triggers then this book is for you. The story is incredibly well-written and the narrative arc is incredibly well devised - the best that I've seen. I thought at first it was an autobiography; it was so realistic but then I have to remind myself it's fiction.
I was so happy for the happy ending. It was a long road to get there but I exhaled loudly as it came to that conclusion.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Huda · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book will surely be hard to put down once you pick it up. Although, I must mention that it has themes of sexual and psychological abuse too. The plot reveals intense characters and themes that will make your mind twist and turn. The darkness and depth of characters in this book will leave you breathless, it will also make you question human beings and their deeds. It may also raise some sense of awareness for readers to be aware of child abuse and how it must be addressed in order to help those that are enduring traumatic and abusive situations. The narration is thought-provoking and will leave you shocked at times.

[CarlitasFox · Rating 4 out of 5]

An enthralling novel
The moment I started reading it I was hooked by the plot and I couldn´t put it down. “Virgil” is an absorbing, twisted novel written by Samuel Alexander.
When it comes to darkness and cruelty, I dare say that this is a crude example. As I felt immersed in the story, I could empathize with the character’s tough life. How far can a human being endure such terrible deeds? It was a bit shocking to me but at the same time I could see the way the character goes through all the pain and moves on.
Everything is well-explained and it´s easy to follow the train of thought of the characters. It´s a dramatic but also a thought-provoking novel worth the read.

[Mandy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Between reading sweet romantic books I sometimes like stories on the dark side and this one was absolutely dark.
I was initially drawn to this by the blurb but the warnings it contained were right, this is not a sweet, easy to read story, it’s hard, gritty and very dark. The author has done a terrific job and once I started I couldn’t put it down until the end.
If you don’t have triggers and you like the dark then this is a book for you.
I received a copy of this book from GRR to review and this is my honest and voluntary opinion.

[Chelsea Moore · Rating 5 out of 5]

WOW!!! I knew from the very beginning that I was going to be captivated by this book! The blurb drew me in right away! Once I picked this book up there was no turning back. I was completely and totally hooked! I finished it in a matter of hours. I devoured this book! There was no putting down even if I wanted to. This book was incredible!!! I don’t want to really say anything else otherwise it would give something away. This was my first book by Samuel Alexander but it definitely won’t be my last!!! Seriously pick this book up! You won’t regret it!!!!

[Nichole · Rating 5 out of 5]

There are so many triggers for this book. So heed them. That beings said, I love a good dark book. This one is indeed that. There is a complex story of what abuse can do to those who are abused. Although I couldn't put this book down, there were moments that definitely made me pause. Moments where I felt my hard being torn in shreds. That's when you know it's a good story. It grabs you and doesn't want to let go. This book will sit with me for a while. It was a very interesting writing style (including first person) that sucks you in.

[Ida Umphers · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lordy! I don't think I've ever read a blurb quite like that and I thought it might be overstated in its warnings. It isn't! This one is dark and will make you feel both despair at the cruelty of humans as well as marvel at their spirit and resilience. Don't start this just before bed or anytime you can't afford to be fully swept into another world for a while. Will definitely leave you with a book hangover.

[Tanya · Rating 5 out of 5]

You will be warned not to even think about reading this book by the author but I bet you are like me, you need to find out what is going on. They pages may be white with black writing but beware it will not be as you expect. Will you be able to stop reading when it gets too dark? Will you feel the darkness wrapping around you as you read? Well you have been warned not only by the author but me too, so be prepared for anything and everything

[Jackie O'Donnell · Rating 5 out of 5]

The writer is right in saying this book is not for the weak quiet mind. I had to keep reading in hopes that good would win over evil. It’s traumatizing that things like this happen in the world. Just because you don’t see it doesn’t make it any less true. A strong heart and faith will not be the only things to get through this. You must be willing to change and seek help.

[Gwen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book fairly warned. It is written as a diary of the awful trauma two brothers had to go through by the hands of their own parents. Great story telling even if totally dark and kind of disturbing. I cringed and also cried in some scenes but the read is truly worth it. It has a happy ending! As happy as they can in their new normal.

[Lydia Devlin · Rating 5 out of 5]

If I could I would give this book more stars,that's how much I loved this story!
This is beautifully written,extremely dark and just wow!
I want to say so much about this story,but,I won't,as I don't want to spoil this deliciously dark delight for anyone.
I received an ARC copy of this book from Gay Romance Reviews and this is my honest review.

[Sheryl Howard · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this. This is a fabulous author and the characters are great. The storyline is well written and keeps you reading from the beginning to end.