Loser Baby is straight merciless tragedy, hold the comedy, with intense, unrelenting and unrepentant action throughout. Told from the perspectives of multiple characters, this story delves deep into the dark corners of society’s underbelly – poverty, drugs, crime, abusive relationships, and mental illness – while also finding a way to highlight beautiful aspects of life such as resilience, forgiveness, connecting with others, rising to the occasion and the eternal pursuit of a better life.
Loser Baby follows a cast of characters who are profoundly flawed, clinging to the bottom rung of the economic ladder and trying to overcome the crappy hand life has delt them. They’re all involved in the dual searches for Jasmine Frank and Tommy Strafe’s valuable coin collection, both missing since last night’s raging designer drug-fueled party. While all participants have the same end goal in mind, finding Jasmine and the coins, they have vastly different motives and methods for bringing events to a close. In fact, literally no character is safe from violence and harm.
Beyond the strong character development and twisting plot, the best part of Jason Bovberg’s novel was the fantastic choice to have each chapter told from a specific character’s perspective. This adds depth to the storytelling rather than following one straight narrative that clearly identifies the protagonists from the villains. Instead, good vs. bad is a fluid concept in Loser Baby, forcing the reader to continually confront their feelings for each person as the story unfolds, changing opinions several times as events progress towards the conclusion. It’s quite the emotional roller coaster from start to finish.
A solid new entry into the Thriller Noir genre, Loser Baby is a complex story that deserves to be consumed and digested by thoughtful readers who want an emotional experience. It’s not for the faint at heart. But if you dare to open the front cover, you will be rewarded with an emotional read that will stick with you long after completion.
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