“Guttersnipe” is the first book published online by aspiring author, Matthew Trigg. The book is both a ridicule of the societal woes and a travesty of human fallibility. The tale circles around the inconvenient journey of human lives. Trigg forges a story that is hinged on the conflicting lives of its principal characters — the bum Roger who hates the “real filth of the world” and another bum Maynard who “likes to smell good by wearing exotic colognes.” Roger hates other people. Roger has no love for the materialistic world. The book begins with Roger waking up on the street and recalling how people see him as a guttersnipe — filthy, greasy, a poor thing!

Roger has a deep connection with his spot under the bridge, which he calls the Hermit Bridge. The place constantly reminds him of home, where the small stream under it ripples in harmony of mostly quiet nights. The spot brings serenity to a life he could barely keep up.

At some point, Roger second-guesses of putting his life to an end.

The story is fast paced with injections of Trigg’s appreciation for raw language. Trigg attacks each day of Roger’s existence by an endless bombardment of life’s tough truths. Despite the fact that Trigg tries to describe the complexity of the politics of everyday life, every page is a comprehensible tale that is intertwined with unrestricted wit and playful metaphors.

Not minding the few grammar misses and the lack of proof-reading, “Guttersnipe” shows Trigg’s uniqueness to story-telling. I would have wanted the book to have a more emotional link with its readers, however, the pacing is fast that the scenes change before a connection can be established. The good thing is, Trigg made certain that every twist and turn is not carried too far so to keep readers interested.

I highly recommend the book. It is currently in ebook format. Get a copy: Guttersnipe by Matthew Trigg.

Did I mention that there is an interesting character named Shitfur?