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The Boulevard
Known for his Saint John-based novels, Jerrod Edson enters the world of speculative literature with The Boulevard, an ambitious novel featuring Ernest Hemingway, Vincent van Gogh, Satan, and a train ride through Hell.
For the first time since Satan's banishment, God plans a visit to the lower world, and Satan is in a bind. In defiance, he has built Hell in the image of Heaven, but now he must destroy its beauty or face God's wrath. Singed with dark humour, packed with historical detail and written in Edson's straightforward style, with themes that include the search for happiness and the importance of staying true to oneself, The Boulevard is first and foremost a testament to the undeniable power of art.
"An original, weird, compelling novel." -Bethany Gibson
Jerrod Edson was born in Saint John, NB, in 1974. He lives in Mississauga, ON, with his wife Leigh and daughters Hadley and Harper. The Boulevard is his sixth novel.
For the first time since Satan's banishment, God plans a visit to the lower world, and Satan is in a bind. In defiance, he has built Hell in the image of Heaven, but now he must destroy its beauty or face God's wrath. Singed with dark humour, packed with historical detail and written in Edson's straightforward style, with themes that include the search for happiness and the importance of staying true to oneself, The Boulevard is first and foremost a testament to the undeniable power of art.
"An original, weird, compelling novel." -Bethany Gibson
Jerrod Edson was born in Saint John, NB, in 1974. He lives in Mississauga, ON, with his wife Leigh and daughters Hadley and Harper. The Boulevard is his sixth novel.
- GenresFantasy
270 pages, Paperback
Published January 1, 2023
4 people are currently reading
2418 people want to read
About the author
Jerrod Edson
7 books36 followersAuthor of seven books. Recipient of The David Adams Richards Prize, Relit Award shortlist. Most recent titles include the novella ANIMALS (2025) and the novel THE BOULEVARD (2023), available at Amazon, Indigo, and Galleon Books.
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
August 28, 2023
In Hell, as in Heaven, flowers are the greatest crime. Even painted ones. Satan dreams them. Van Gogh coaxes light from them. And as an unprecedented visit from God looms, Hemingway listens.
Nuanced occult fantasy meets rich, character-driven historical fiction in The Boulevard, Jerrod Edson’s wildly, wonderfully, persuasively imagined tale of a corporeal hell and a fallen angel’s crushing decision to unmake the beautiful, painstaking work of centuries.
Nuanced occult fantasy meets rich, character-driven historical fiction in The Boulevard, Jerrod Edson’s wildly, wonderfully, persuasively imagined tale of a corporeal hell and a fallen angel’s crushing decision to unmake the beautiful, painstaking work of centuries.
January 1, 2024
It must have been said somewhere that the fiction writer’s imagination knows no bounds. If not, then let it be said here for the first time in reference to Jarrod Edson’s fanciful and darkly humorous novel, The Boulevard, a work that deliberately and defiantly stretches the boundaries of imaginative fiction by taking the reader on a journey through Hell. Literally. And not only that: the author has boldly reconfigured Christian myth, specifically the transgression that landed Lucifer and his cronies in trouble with God and resulted in their banishment from Heaven. It’s been several thousand years since that unhappy event, but Lucifer (now known as Satan) remains a rebel. Openly defiant of God’s edicts, he has spent his time redecorating Hell, modeling the place after Heaven, and his crowning achievement is a splendid and glorious Boulevard that cuts through Hell’s Capital City, a throughfare lined with massive buildings that have been adorned with colourful murals painted by none other than Vincent Van Gogh. The story is set into motion because God has decided it’s high time he paid a visit to Hell to see how things are going, and Satan realizes there will be unpleasant consequences if God discovers a joyous population relishing a beautification project in a place that was meant to inflict eternal misery on its inhabitants. Satan decides that before God’s arrival he has no choice but to restore Hell to its original hellish state, which means dismantling the Boulevard. He also feels an obligation to inform Vincent of his plan, and to that end boards a train to the “Foothills,” where Van Gogh has been living, in a hovel in a parched landscape, far from the beauty he created. A major portion of the action takes place on the train, where Satan, having learned that Ernest Hemingway is also on board, summons the novelist to his car and narrates the story of his fall from grace and the centuries-long search for an artist whose appreciation of light and colour would do justice to the project he has in mind. Edson’s novel is hugely satisfying and thoroughly engaging. Satan is a master yarn-spinner, and even though he cannot be trusted to tell the whole truth, the facts behind his fall and his coercive tactics to enlist Van Gogh in the Boulevard project gradually come to light. Is The Boulevard speculative fiction? Possibly. But it is also a visionary work that turns popular myth on its head, and its weirdness is essential to the singular fictional world it convincingly evokes. Jarrod Edson, writing with great confidence, proves there is nothing beyond the scope of his imaginative powers. The Boulevard, his sixth novel, is an irreverent triumph.
February 16, 2026
I finished this book last night. I awakened several hours later and it drifted into my thoughts again. When I arose today, it was still there in the back of my mind. Certain thoughts made me pick it up again to reread different sections. And then that ending. Perfect.
So now, I’m going to do something I rarely do. I’m going right back to the very beginning and I’m going to read it again before I pick up another book. There are layers here that I certainly was aware of, but that I want to reread in order to appreciate them even more and in much more depth. The book is moving…it is subtle…it will make you think. Layers upon layers.
So, I will read it again. Then I will try to do a review worthy of it. And then, I am hoping that someone will want to talk about it with me. Because there are so many meaningful conversations that can be had…glowing like flowers just beneath the surface.
In the meantime, get a copy of this quietly splendid book. Read it slowly. And enjoy.
So now, I’m going to do something I rarely do. I’m going right back to the very beginning and I’m going to read it again before I pick up another book. There are layers here that I certainly was aware of, but that I want to reread in order to appreciate them even more and in much more depth. The book is moving…it is subtle…it will make you think. Layers upon layers.
So, I will read it again. Then I will try to do a review worthy of it. And then, I am hoping that someone will want to talk about it with me. Because there are so many meaningful conversations that can be had…glowing like flowers just beneath the surface.
In the meantime, get a copy of this quietly splendid book. Read it slowly. And enjoy.
September 5, 2023
I loved this book! Edson does such a great job at creating a world with characters that have so much depth to them. As someone who doesn’t know much about Van Gogh and Hemingways personal life, I found myself wanting to go learn about them after reading this. The characters just felt so real. I loved the plot too, I love anything psychology related and I ended up “analyzing” each character because I felt like there were so many layers. Also so many layers to the actual story, which came together so beautiful near the end. One of my favourites from Jerrod Edson!
August 24, 2023
The Boulevard
By Jerrod Edson,
takes readers on a thought-provoking and visually stimulating journey through a reimagined underworld. With its blend of fantasy, art, and divine conflict, the novel offers a fresh perspective on the age-old battle between good and evil.
Edson's ability to craft an engaging narrative within a unique setting makes "The Boulevard" a captivating read that explores the intersection of creativity, authority, and the human spirit.
By Jerrod Edson,
takes readers on a thought-provoking and visually stimulating journey through a reimagined underworld. With its blend of fantasy, art, and divine conflict, the novel offers a fresh perspective on the age-old battle between good and evil.
Edson's ability to craft an engaging narrative within a unique setting makes "The Boulevard" a captivating read that explores the intersection of creativity, authority, and the human spirit.
August 11, 2025
I went into The Boulevard not knowing what to expect, and it completely blew me away. The phrase “a train ride through hell” might make you picture chaos and horror, but what Jarrod Edson delivers is a beautifully written exploration of art, humanity, and the life of one of the greatest painters who ever lived.
This book deepened my admiration for Van Gogh. Through some of the most defining moments of his life and art, we witness his struggles with both tangible and intangible demons. The story unfolds through the eyes of Satan, who longs to bring the beauty he once knew in heaven into the darkness of hell.
It is difficult to say more without giving away too much, but if you have any love for literature or art, this is a must-read.
This book deepened my admiration for Van Gogh. Through some of the most defining moments of his life and art, we witness his struggles with both tangible and intangible demons. The story unfolds through the eyes of Satan, who longs to bring the beauty he once knew in heaven into the darkness of hell.
It is difficult to say more without giving away too much, but if you have any love for literature or art, this is a must-read.
July 15, 2023
As a Christian, I have great respect for Satan. We all will have to face death and be met with God and Satan. This is such a well-written book. Satan can morph into many creatures and play with our minds. Jerrod has researched several artists and has brought Hemingway and Van Gogh to life (even though they're in hell!) through these pages. Very clever of you, Jerrod, to include 'a place of pretty flowers' in one of the lines! I also liked "It's all about the moment. Forget about memory. Memory makes it decorative and not realistic."
July 28, 2023
A tremendous, imaginative romp through the afterlife. The story is as clever as it is unique, and the dialogue drips with authenticity.
September 12, 2023
The Boulevard is a fascinating take on Satan and an intriguing exploration of art and artists when it poses some tough and classic questions about the relationship between art and mood or state of mind.
On Satan, if we could go there for a moment, he is portrayed in ways that bring into doubt the nature of his evil: the author is adept at telling a tale that demonstrates, gradually, through actions and dialogue and history, that maybe Satan isn’t such a bad guy after all. Until we see him – again, gradually, through dialogue where stories reside within stories and piecemeal actions that appear entirely benign and normal on the surface – prey upon Van Gogh, and lure him into depression, death and Hell in order to bring light to this dreary grey place. It’s accomplished with so much normalcy, one may wonder to what extent such subtle and awful evil resides within each of us. If Satan is so reliable and convincing (thanks to the author’s masterful use of dialogue to bring the characters to life as vibrantly as the yellows and blues of Van Gogh’s bright, gracious works), it seems such evil – each and every evil act that he does, other than the metamorphosis of course – is all too easy for each of us to do, including the ethical moment’s choice when Satan replies to Hemingway’s comment, ‘You were merciful’ with the statement, “I had already won.” That’s really bad, yet, something any one of us might say.
This is a speculative and quietly philosophical story. Our classic versions of history are turned upside down and re-done, and all in a very convincing and reliable way. It’s a total pleasure to experience, with a steady, accessible read at the same time as it makes you linger after you’re done and have put the book down, to think about some difficult questions that will remain unanswered. And that’s another welcome challenge in the way it’s provided.
On Satan, if we could go there for a moment, he is portrayed in ways that bring into doubt the nature of his evil: the author is adept at telling a tale that demonstrates, gradually, through actions and dialogue and history, that maybe Satan isn’t such a bad guy after all. Until we see him – again, gradually, through dialogue where stories reside within stories and piecemeal actions that appear entirely benign and normal on the surface – prey upon Van Gogh, and lure him into depression, death and Hell in order to bring light to this dreary grey place. It’s accomplished with so much normalcy, one may wonder to what extent such subtle and awful evil resides within each of us. If Satan is so reliable and convincing (thanks to the author’s masterful use of dialogue to bring the characters to life as vibrantly as the yellows and blues of Van Gogh’s bright, gracious works), it seems such evil – each and every evil act that he does, other than the metamorphosis of course – is all too easy for each of us to do, including the ethical moment’s choice when Satan replies to Hemingway’s comment, ‘You were merciful’ with the statement, “I had already won.” That’s really bad, yet, something any one of us might say.
This is a speculative and quietly philosophical story. Our classic versions of history are turned upside down and re-done, and all in a very convincing and reliable way. It’s a total pleasure to experience, with a steady, accessible read at the same time as it makes you linger after you’re done and have put the book down, to think about some difficult questions that will remain unanswered. And that’s another welcome challenge in the way it’s provided.
September 6, 2023
Would you give up the breadth of Heaven for a sliver of beauty?
Considering that Jerrod Edson’s new novel, The Boulevard, features Vincent van Gogh, Ernest Hemingway, Satan and a train ride through Hell, I knew that I was in for something different. What I didn’t expect, however, was how deeply I would relate to this story, both the characters within and the book as a whole. Edson vividly captures all of the joy, terror, pride and frustration of being an artist, as well as how far we will go and how much we will sacrifice in order to achieve our vision. Whether your medium is paint, literature, clay or film, if you are an artist this unique and memorable book will resonate with you. Highly recommended.
*
Thank you to River Street Writing and Galleon Books, who provided me with this book in exchange for an honest review. Opinions are my own.
Considering that Jerrod Edson’s new novel, The Boulevard, features Vincent van Gogh, Ernest Hemingway, Satan and a train ride through Hell, I knew that I was in for something different. What I didn’t expect, however, was how deeply I would relate to this story, both the characters within and the book as a whole. Edson vividly captures all of the joy, terror, pride and frustration of being an artist, as well as how far we will go and how much we will sacrifice in order to achieve our vision. Whether your medium is paint, literature, clay or film, if you are an artist this unique and memorable book will resonate with you. Highly recommended.
*
Thank you to River Street Writing and Galleon Books, who provided me with this book in exchange for an honest review. Opinions are my own.
June 6, 2023
As the publisher of this book, I may be a bit biased, but will write more on this wonderful novel - Galleon Books' first offering - very soon!
July 19, 2023
What a renunciation of conventionality. A labyrinthine journey through Heaven, Hell and Eden. With Satan, Ernest Hemingway and Vincent van Gogh as leads.
A book which peels layers of paint to reveal yet another work of art underneath the original. Much like the newly discovered self-portrait by Vincent van Gogh underneath his painting, “Head Of A Peasant Woman.”
A story is told along a blacked passage through hell by no other than Satan himself. A story of a genius who painted paradisiacal canvases. A genius taken too early from us by his own hand.
Be this book fiction, it paints a deeply intimate and psychological profile of the said artist and presents something that will always be absent from historical records. That is the power of fiction. And in this case, it doesn’t mar the points of historical record. The author’s meticulously calibrated additions bring us into the world of Vincent van Gogh, which suddenly feels relatable with the possibility of greater personal engrossment.
And any book which can pull away the veil, open the barricaded door is due praises.
A book which peels layers of paint to reveal yet another work of art underneath the original. Much like the newly discovered self-portrait by Vincent van Gogh underneath his painting, “Head Of A Peasant Woman.”
A story is told along a blacked passage through hell by no other than Satan himself. A story of a genius who painted paradisiacal canvases. A genius taken too early from us by his own hand.
Be this book fiction, it paints a deeply intimate and psychological profile of the said artist and presents something that will always be absent from historical records. That is the power of fiction. And in this case, it doesn’t mar the points of historical record. The author’s meticulously calibrated additions bring us into the world of Vincent van Gogh, which suddenly feels relatable with the possibility of greater personal engrossment.
And any book which can pull away the veil, open the barricaded door is due praises.
August 21, 2023
Can we talk for a tick about the unfazed, world-bending AUDACITY of speculative fiction? Specifically, this book of speculative fiction by Canadian author Jerrod Edson?
I wouldn’t say I was skeptical when I picked up this book—because that’s a crap attitude to have going into any type of art—but I was…quizzical.
Satan and Hemingway are on a train ride through hell to seek out Van Gogh after Satan learns God is paying an unexpected visit and the Devil has—in true devil fashion—had Van Gogh paint the boulevard of hell in the image of heaven.
Wild, right?
Once you start reading, not really.
Like all exceptional speculative fiction, Edson’s world mirrors—however darkly—our own. The verisimilitude is palpably and exquisitely rendered.
The amount of detail (the art history, character development, world building, the crisp, cadenced dialogue) that went into creating this book is felt rather than seen. Edson masterfully leaves no seams visible in his weaving of this world.
There are scenes that I’m unlikely to ever forget: Monet realizing who Satan really is; Van Gogh in the wheat field with his gun; Hemingway, in the grey morning, moments before his death; Satan with the yellow flower in wing.
I’ve never been more surprised by a book. The Boulevard is a must-read for anyone who has even considered reading speculative fiction. Hell, it’s a must-read for anyone who hasn’t.
.
I wouldn’t say I was skeptical when I picked up this book—because that’s a crap attitude to have going into any type of art—but I was…quizzical.
Satan and Hemingway are on a train ride through hell to seek out Van Gogh after Satan learns God is paying an unexpected visit and the Devil has—in true devil fashion—had Van Gogh paint the boulevard of hell in the image of heaven.
Wild, right?
Once you start reading, not really.
Like all exceptional speculative fiction, Edson’s world mirrors—however darkly—our own. The verisimilitude is palpably and exquisitely rendered.
The amount of detail (the art history, character development, world building, the crisp, cadenced dialogue) that went into creating this book is felt rather than seen. Edson masterfully leaves no seams visible in his weaving of this world.
There are scenes that I’m unlikely to ever forget: Monet realizing who Satan really is; Van Gogh in the wheat field with his gun; Hemingway, in the grey morning, moments before his death; Satan with the yellow flower in wing.
I’ve never been more surprised by a book. The Boulevard is a must-read for anyone who has even considered reading speculative fiction. Hell, it’s a must-read for anyone who hasn’t.
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews