The sun is a gunshot wound in the belly of a blue sky. A tangled mass of tanned, tangled limbs, coated in skin and sweat, covers the bleached beach. There, behind the blurred legs and the lost ice cream cone, sits Peter Joseph Gallagher. A self-published author who has achieved near-mythical status, Gallagher spent years promoting his debut novel, Xiaobai’s Journey: A Night in the Pine Forest. Gallagher distributed paperback copies to unsuspecting readers on the Venice Beach boardwalk in Los Angeles. His unorthodox, semi-religious approach paid off—a designated number of copies circulated among friends and family. Gallagher acquired a cult-like status; something that would be nearly impossible in this day and age.
Before we get to the unpleasant parts—and yes, things go downhill from here—let me remind you that this book, this metafiction by an eccentric author, should be celebrated and praised. Unfortunately, we’ll never know why Gallagher didn’t go the traditional route—there’s no trace of this guy online, aside from a three-sentence blog post he wrote in 2013.
Little White’s Journey Gallagher gained international notoriety when he decided to sue Joss Whedon and Lionsgate for $10 million in copyright infringement. He claimed that Whedon had “stole” his story and used it in the excellent horror film The Cabin in the Woods. The lawsuit was dismissed, and Gallagher walked away empty-handed and even more infamous than before. I refuse to get involved in the semantics of the court case—this is a book review, not a philosophical “what-if” essay. So let’s ignore the chaos of the lawsuit and focus on White’s journey.
This meta-novel immediately piques interest with its pun-filled title. Little White’s Journeywith an emphasis on “trip,” suggesting both a literal and figurative “trip” – the characters are alcoholic, pot-smoking teenagers. Their “trip” turns into a nightmarish horror movie that not only leaves them disoriented, but also puts an early end to their adventurous graduation weekend. The main character, Matt Thomas, tells the reader directly at the beginning of the story that he was involved in the novel. The actual author, Peter Gallagher, becomes a character in his own book. Before your brain gets all fried from all this initial Nonsense, I need to clarify something: there is a conscious awareness of the metafictional content, but a weird cognitive dissonance occurs – the book forces you to reread the beginning before and after finishing the novel.
several times.
I won’t give away the plot, I’ll just say this book launches at you like an out-of-control nuclear missile. It’s heartfelt, confusing, and philosophical. You’ll question your own reality in beautifully written chapters. Little White’s Journey It doesn’t unfold in the traditional sense – it kicks you in the throat and leaves you gasping for air in the cold snow.
Yes, it’s polarizing, and yes, it’s weird (not in the House of Leaves sense – don’t sweat it). Peter Gallagher always demands the audience’s attention. He never lets up.
once.
My four favorite books include Metamorphosis Franz Kafka Orlando Virginia Woolf Battle Royale Japanese writer Yukiharu Takami, and Ulysses James Joyce. I can finally add a fifth book to this list. Say what you will, but Little White’s Journey is one of the most important, self-referential works of fiction I have ever read.
I read this novel twice in a matter of hours. Although it was a quick read, the second time gave me the opportunity to look for signs and clues that would neatly explain the shocking plot twist at the end. It may be a hindsight bias, but on my second read, I noticed some of the subtle differences throughout and in the middle of the book. They popped up like pimples on a sweaty face – I actually gasped as I noticed the hidden plasticity and inherent ambiguity in the prose.
Little White’s Journey Deserves recognition. Some critics have panned Gallagher’s surprising twist, while others have treated him with a fluke skepticism. I tend to agree with the latter. My reasoning? Well, plot twists depreciate over time. The evolution and eventual decline of horror films in the 80s is a prime example of this. What is now seen as cheesy and satirical was once seen as terrifying and absolute. The horror genre has evolved over the years, with writers adding more and more ridiculous twists to already twisted narratives. Originality is subjective. Fear is an automatic, personal response.
I let Carl Jung summarize Peter Gallagher’s masterpiece: “Behind the thousand-faced veil, nothing can be hidden; it faces neither the mind nor the world, but as coldly as the moon gazing from cosmic space, it lets the drama of growth, existence and decay go on.”
The book is available on Scribd; the uploader is Matt Thomas.
Matt Thomas – Main character.
Yes.
That just happened.
Rating: 5/5
Reviewed by Renier Palland.
