This book contains graphic content and themes that may be disturbing to some readers. It is intended for a mature audience.
Trigger Warnings:
Gore and extreme violence
Drug and alcohol abuse
Sexual themes and crude language
Offensive language
Mental health struggles and trauma
I Paid To Stab A Lion, is a visceral and chaotic deep-dive into the fractured psyche of its protagonist, Reilly. It functions less as a traditional story and more as an immersive experience, plunging the reader directly into a mind unraveling from grief, drug abuse, and unprocessed trauma.
At its core, the novella is a powerful exploration of grief and its destructive consequences. The narrative is catalyzed by the death of Reilly's boxing mentor, Wayne, from a heroin overdose on the eve of Reilly's first fight. This event sends Reilly on a trip to Asia, not for self-discovery, but into a spiral of self-destruction that forms the book's central conflict. The narrative's primary strength lies in its masterful use of an unreliable, stream-of-consciousness narrator. The writing style is intentionally jarring, fragmented, and raw, mirroring Reilly's mental state.
The centerpiece of this is the extended, hallucinatory sequence aboard the flight to Bangkok, triggered by a powerful mix of drugs given to him by a stranger, another passenger who calls herself Hannah. This "K-Hole" serves as a brutal tour of Reilly's subconscious, confronting his violent impulses, his insecurities about his relationship with his girlfriend (also named Hannah), and his unresolved trauma over Wayne's death. The recurring, taunting line, "I think you’re back. Finally! You’ve been gone for nine hours," becomes a terrifying motif of his loss of control.
Readers should be aware that the novella is a challenging read by design. The narrative is deliberately fragmented, which may prove disorienting for those who prefer a linear plot. Furthermore, the content is unflinchingly graphic, featuring scenes of extreme violence (both real and imagined) and crude, often offensive, internal monologues that reflect the protagonist's deteriorating mental state.
Ultimately, I Paid To Stab A Lion is a raw and uncompromising piece of experimental fiction. It is not for the faint of heart, but for readers interested in a bold, psychological journey into the depths of trauma and addiction, it offers a powerful and unforgettable experience. The work succeeds as a portrait of a mind in freefall, exploring the fine line between reality, memory, and hallucination. The author's note further enriches the work, explicitly stating that "the book is a story of mental health, of being a millennial, of having boundless energy and using drugs and losing nine years of your life".
This book contains graphic content and themes that may be disturbing to some readers. It is intended for a mature audience.
Trigger Warnings:
Gore and extreme violence
Drug and alcohol abuse
Sexual themes and crude language
Offensive language
Mental health struggles and trauma
I Paid To Stab A Lion, is a visceral and chaotic deep-dive into the fractured psyche of its protagonist, Reilly. It functions less as a traditional story and more as an immersive experience, plunging the reader directly into a mind unraveling from grief, drug abuse, and unprocessed trauma.
At its core, the novella is a powerful exploration of grief and its destructive consequences. The narrative is catalyzed by the death of Reilly's boxing mentor, Wayne, from a heroin overdose on the eve of Reilly's first fight. This event sends Reilly on a trip to Asia, not for self-discovery, but into a spiral of self-destruction that forms the book's central conflict. The narrative's primary strength lies in its masterful use of an unreliable, stream-of-consciousness narrator. The writing style is intentionally jarring, fragmented, and raw, mirroring Reilly's mental state.
The centerpiece of this is the extended, hallucinatory sequence aboard the flight to Bangkok, triggered by a powerful mix of drugs given to him by a stranger, another passenger who calls herself Hannah. This "K-Hole" serves as a brutal tour of Reilly's subconscious, confronting his violent impulses, his insecurities about his relationship with his girlfriend (also named Hannah), and his unresolved trauma over Wayne's death. The recurring, taunting line, "I think you’re back. Finally! You’ve been gone for nine hours," becomes a terrifying motif of his loss of control.
Readers should be aware that the novella is a challenging read by design. The narrative is deliberately fragmented, which may prove disorienting for those who prefer a linear plot. Furthermore, the content is unflinchingly graphic, featuring scenes of extreme violence (both real and imagined) and crude, often offensive, internal monologues that reflect the protagonist's deteriorating mental state.
Ultimately, I Paid To Stab A Lion is a raw and uncompromising piece of experimental fiction. It is not for the faint of heart, but for readers interested in a bold, psychological journey into the depths of trauma and addiction, it offers a powerful and unforgettable experience. The work succeeds as a portrait of a mind in freefall, exploring the fine line between reality, memory, and hallucination. The author's note further enriches the work, explicitly stating that "the book is a story of mental health, of being a millennial, of having boundless energy and using drugs and losing nine years of your life".