At seventeen, Adamo Di Cristo has reached a nominal milestone, high-school graduation. But with abandonment by his mother in the name of her faith, this Massachusetts native will have to get creative in order to survive. Subsistence on meager rations and an unethically paltry salary quickly become the norm, so Adamo enrolls in the military to reframe his course. With the promise of food, shelter, and direction, Adamo gives his all as a soldier, knowing he has nobody and nothing to fall back on. But his endeavor for self-betterment ends in dejection. Several further failed attempts at gainful employment leave Adamo vulnerable and isolated, as he has always been. Likewise, Simm Weiss, a young man raised without the benefit of a nurturing home environment, endures the relentless trials and torments of life. No matter the time or place, life for this beleaguered gay man is neither fair nor easy. Though their paths are different, Adamo and Simm’s journeys are more alike than not. Systemically disregarded for who they are, these rejected men find little solace in their troubled existence. But together, they find purpose in their commonalities, in their shared hardships, and in each other.
From a striking minimalist cover to the calculating narrative prose, every aspect of All That Was Rejected is certain to make you feel something. Being exposed to the repeated hatred, bigotry, misandry, and ignorance that the protagonists invariably face will incite emotions ranging from anger and outrage to compassion and sorrow. No matter what you feel, however, this thought-provoking novel will lead readers to think about how we treat one another. Edgy and resolute, the third person omniscient viewpoint is delivered free of dialogue, helping establish the grim existence Adamo and Simm are subject to. At times, the heavy-handed repetition of certain ideas and emotions leaves little room for audiences to become immersed in the story, and the frequent inclusion of dissonant synonyms and strained adjectives fosters a detachment from the developing scenes. In all, though, the mood of the novel perfectly embodies the level of disconnect Simm and Adamo feel and lays out what life is like for two men largely unwanted by a society they deserve to be comfortable in. An arresting novel sure to have an impact, All That Was Rejected epitomizes modern literary fiction with a metaphysical gloss-coating, while at the same time displaying a deep reverence for and fascination with the masculine form.
