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Leaving behind a troubled past in Chicago, Dorian finds himself living his dreams in New York City, writing book reviews and essays for the various esteemed local papers. However, what once was his pride in overcoming dyslexia becomes his greatest downfall as more and more deadlines start to creep up and pass him by. His girlfriend separates from him over an argument over whether or not to have children, and when things seem their lowest, a local gangster presses Dorian to pay back a sizable loan, causing the writer to snap and push back. Now hunted by criminals, Dorian’s own past behaviors have to guide him through the urban jungle and help him survive long enough to put the life he worked so hard to give himself back together.
While the narrative itself offers more than enough tension and suspense for the reader to stay glued to this book for chapter after chapter, the author provides an extra layer to this story through the use of intentional ambiguity. The first impression of the protagonist is someone who has been exposed to the harshness of modern life without getting his hands dirty, but Dorian’s desperation in the present reveals unpleasant truths about his past without making him an entirely unsympathetic figure. This novel is painted in more than just black and white, and it will ultimately be up to the audience to decide if Dorian deserves a way out from his situation or if his struggles are merely the work of long overdue karmic retribution. As he walks the line between gritty basic instincts and lofty hopes and dreams, the protagonist's moral dilemma provides more than enough motivation for the reader to see the novel through to its conclusion.