The bond connecting two soulmates is so strong that their forbidden love causes a clash between Heaven and Hell. In Thomas-Ian Nadeau's "My Embodiment as a Broken Record," readers will see their love defy the boundaries between life and death, resulting in a tale of fated lovers, angels, and demons, that also serves as a metaphor for the author's life struggles and accomplishments.
Nadeau's work is also an autobiography, and through a tapestry of fantastical characters and warring divine beings, he conveys his struggles and inner conflicts regarding morality, sexuality, and spirituality. "My Embodiment as a Broken Record" unfolds as a stream of consciousness narrative following fantastic beings, centered on the lovers' Daniel and Samantha, as well as the heavenly angels and villains from the depths of hell who are locked in combat with one another. The story is segmented into chapters with enigmatic titles such as "Actuality," "But Forsaken Once Again," and "Problem End."
The crux of the story is the immense love Daniel and Samantha have for one another, which defies the bounds of mortality. The antagonists test this connection, which challenges the very laws that govern Heaven and Hell, life and death, the Earth and existence itself. Nadeau's story is about how idealism, passion, and conviction are tested by circumstances and the realities of life. To withstand these adversities, one must have strength and perseverance. These are the things Nadeau realized after his own struggles. Particularly his contemplations on subjects such as morality, gender, and sexuality, as well as what awaits people with different orientations in the afterlife. For a long time, he grappled with his self-image and society's expectations of him - and sought to chart his own path in life.
Nadeau explains that the horror stories he read when he was younger, such as Anne Rice's "The Vampire Chronicles" as well as Thomas Harris' Hannibal Lecter stories, were inspirations for this work. Like the antiheroes of those works, Nadeau's characters are complicated and multifaceted, much like the author himself. By sharing his struggles and internal turmoil, he aims to help readers accept themselves and shed the doubt and pain holding them back from living happy lives.
"People have to stop wearing invisible masks and just be themselves. This story was meant to inspire most people." Nadeau says.
About the Author
Thomas-Ian Nadeau hails from Montreal, Quebec, and later moved to the big city during his adolescence. Since his youth, he has had mental health issues and has had to live in group homes, and has had bouts of hospitalization. Currently, he is 24 years old and hoping to return to school in the near future.