MEMOIRS OF AN ANTIHERO BY DREW BLANK

 

"Daddy, am I going to die." These are words that can either make a man or destroy him. Finding out that his daughter has Leukemia is one of the worst things that he can imagine a parent going through. As usual Drew draws on his humor to try and make light of a very terrible subject. Not knowing how to deal with this himself he tries to lighten it up for his young daughter Moxie. He never planned on being a dad but when one of the groupies that he hooked up with after his band played one evening called him to let him know she was pregnant and that the baby was his, there was no looking back for him. He was not even sure of his paternity but it made no difference. He was absolutely, irrevocably in love with his daughter. And while he did not care for her mother for various reasons, he spent every moment of his spare time with Moxie.
Drew himself grew up an orphan only leaving the orphanage when Mema, one of the teachers that volunteered, saw something in him. He loved her cooking classes and applied himself at every turn. One evening after one of her classes he stays to talk to her but sees several of the other kids hanging out, some self described toughs. Knowing he will not get a chance to speak to Mema but being uncomfortable with the uncharacteristic behaviour of the boys staying behind, Drew leaves but goes no further than just down the hall to the restroom. Shortly after, he sees Mema leave the school room heading for the ladies room. Sure enough the young toughs trail after and follow her into the ladies room. Mema is the first person that has really treated Drew well, and he is concerned for her. Knowing he would not have time to get help he looks around for something to protect them both with.The only thing handy is a fire extinguisher. As he enters the restroom, he sees Mema on the floor with blood on her face. He loses it and uses the extinguisher like a club, thereby saving Mema's life. After being saved by Drew, Mema knows that this is not the place for either of them. He is allowed to move on and live at Mema's.
 As Drew gets older he works at a restaurant and barely makes ends meet. His mode of transportation is a bicycle.  He does not know how he will be able to afford treatment for Moxie. Without this care she will die and that is not acceptable. Cleaning up and getting ready to leave for the evening that night he hears the bartender making a drug deal over the phone. It sounds like some money may exchange hands and Drew is getting desperate. He is pretty sure that if he disguises himself and takes them by surprise during their drop that he may very well end up with the money. It is worth a shot, this might be a way out of his dilemma, these are bad guys and he is more in need of the money and it is for a great cause. Donning some larger rubber boots to cover his work shoes, a old zippered hoodie, and a pair of Jackie O shades he feels like no one will be able to recognize him. As he moves in for the attack he finds he is correct in that there is not much fight. He takes down the bartender first, who falls on a broken bottle smashing up his face.  When Mouse the drug mule steps out of the car he goes after him.  Drew is not expecting much of a fight but does not realize that Mouse will have a gun and will have so much bravado.  Drew is forced to deal with him brutally, finally slamming the door on his legs crushing them. He quickly takes the money from him, and as he turns to leave he is met with the broken end of a beer bottle in his chest tearing him open. He again shoves Randy to the ground.  With both men out of contention Drew knows he needs to get help, he is bleeding profusely. Getting on his bike and peddling away is a difficult task and by the time Drew makes it to his friend  Tatoo Tom he is in a bad way. Drew shares his story with Tom whom he has known for a long time and who is also very familiar with Moxie's predicament. Once Drew is finished and stitched up by Tom ,who has had some experience,  he decides to go to his friends house as he has been receiving numerous calls from them. He met Jim and Phil after moving in with Mema and thought they were the coolest guys he ever met. It was not till later that he realized that they were nerds. They too are drawn into his story and when they find that his take is $7462 they are on board and signing him up to move on to even bigger and better things. With the right money they can make him unbeatable and almost a Superhero.
As the story continues to unfold Drew becomes known as the Freak, wanted by both law enforcement but even more so by the criminals. What he does not realize is that everything he holds dear can be gone in the blink of an eye. And as he tries to put together the funds for Moxie's treatment, she and Mema will become pawns in the game of war.  Will he be able to put to rights the terrible and horrific crimes that he has spawned in time to save his family? How will it all end?
This is a dark comedy and tragedy, alternating between humor and intrigue. If you love heroes from comic books and like dark comedy as well as a compelling read this is the book for you. How do you not love a guy who will do anything for his daughter. I have to admit that it intrigues me that the hero is Drew Blank and the Author is Drew Blank. One has to know there is a story there.

Rated 4\5

This book was received free from Library Thing Early Reviewers Group. This opinion is my own based off my reading and understanding of the material.