Jay wakes up in a park with no memory of how he got there or why he is bleeding. Trigger takes us on a journey of grief, turmoil, betrayal and hope as Jay tries to remember and come to terms with what has happened to him.
This book does not shy away from the pain of this subject. Moore’s style of writing places the reader directly in the protagonist’s mindset, which is not always a comfortable place to be. Jay’s story is told in verse, each poem vividly painting his emotional turmoil in the aftermath of a rape. Trigger should be read with care as it contains themes of sexual violence, sexual trafficking, depression and suicidal thoughts.
This book is full of darkness but, as in life, we look to moments of light in search of hope. These moments can be found in Trigger in Jay’s time with his Mum, and her unflinching love and support, and in his friendships with Lau and Rain, whose loyalty and understanding is what ultimately brings Jay back to life.
This is an uncomfortable read but it is absolutely a story worth reading.
Órla Carr
Trigger
C. G. Moore
Little Island, March 2024
Paperback, £8.99
ISBN 9781915071538
