John the Revelator: A Novel

By: Peter Murphy

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Synopsis: &“Murphy&’s darkly gorgeous debut . . . is an Irish coming-of-age novel. It&’s also a meditation on why we tell stories.&” —The Plain Dealer This is the story of John Devine—stuck in a small town in the otherworldly landscape of southeastern Ireland, worried over by his single, chain-smoking, Bible-quoting mother, Lily, and spied on by the &“neighborly&” Mrs. Nagle. When Jamey Corboy, a self-styled Rimbaudian boy wonder, arrives in town, John&’s life suddenly seems full of possibility. His loneliness dissipates. He is taken up by mischief and discovery, hiding in the world beyond as Lily&’s mysterious illness worsens. But Jamey and John&’s nose for trouble may be their undoing, and soon John will be faced with a terrible moral dilemma. Joining the ranks of the great novels of friendship and betrayal—A Separate Peace, A Prayer for Owen Meany, and Paddy Clarke Ha Ha Ha—John the Revelator is &“remarkable&” and grapples with the pull of the world and the hold of those we love (The Observer). &“Murphy&’s strongly written debut splits the difference between the sensitivity of Portrait of an Artist and the freakishness of Butcher Boy.&” —Publishers Weekly &“Jaw-dropping . . . A terrific, disquieting addition to the long tradition of Irish storytelling.&” —Kirkus Reviews

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