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韦慰 蠂苇蟻喂 蟺慰蠀 魏喂谓蔚委 蟿伪 谓萎渭伪蟿伪
螤慰喂慰 蠂苇蟻喂 蔚委谓伪喂 伪蠀蟿蠈 蟺慰蠀 魏喂谓蔚委 蟺蟻伪纬渭伪蟿喂魏维 蟿伪 谓萎渭伪蟿伪;
螠喂伪 伪蟺慰位伪蠀蟽蟿喂魏萎 喂蟽蟿慰蟻委伪 蟽蟿畏谓 慰蟺慰委伪 慰 伪谓伪纬谓蠋蟽蟿畏蟼 蠅蟼 蟿慰 蟿苇位慰蟼 伪谓伪蟻蠅蟿喂苇蟿伪喂 蟺慰喂慰蟼 蔚委谓伪喂 蟿慰 蟺伪喂未委 魏伪喂 蟺慰喂慰蟼 慰 蔚谓萎位喂魏伪蟼, 蟺慰喂慰蟼 蔚委谓伪喂 慰 魏伪位蠈蟼 魏伪喂 蟺慰喂慰蟼 慰 魏伪魏蠈蟼, 蟺慰蠉 蟿蔚位蔚喂蠋谓蔚喂 畏 蔚蟺喂谓蠈畏蟽畏 魏伪喂 蟺慰蠉 伪蟻蠂委味蔚喂 畏 伪位萎胃蔚喂伪. 螠喂伪 蠅未萎 蟽蟿畏谓 蟺伪蟻维未慰蟽畏 蟿蠅谓 喂蟽蟿慰蟻喂蠋谓 蟿蟻蠈渭慰蠀 渭蔚 伪谓伪蠁慰蟻苇蟼 蟽蔚 尾喂尾位委伪 蠈蟺蠅蟼 危蟿蟻委蠄喂渭慰 蟿畏蟼 尾委未伪蟼 (围苇谓蟻喂 韦味苇喂渭蟼), 螚 纬蠀谓伪委魏伪 渭蔚 蟿伪 位蔚蠀魏维 (螕慰蠀委位魏喂 螝蠈位喂谓蟼), 巍蔚渭蟺苇魏伪 (螖维蠁谓畏 螡蟿喂 螠慰蟻喂苇).
螠喂伪 蟺蔚蟻喂胃蠅蟻喂伪魏萎 蟺蔚蟻蟽蠈谓伪, 畏 畏蟻蠅委未伪, 伪蠁畏纬蔚委蟿伪喂 蟽蔚 蟺蟻蠋蟿慰 蟺蟻蠈蟽蠅蟺慰 蟿畏谓 喂蟽蟿慰蟻委伪 蟿畏蟼. 螔纬维味蔚喂 蟿慰 蠄蠅渭委 蟿畏蟼 蟺蟻慰蟽蠁苇蟻慰谓蟿伪蟼 蟽蔚尉慰蠀伪位喂魏苇蟼 蠂维蟻蔚蟼 蟽蔚 维谓蟿蟻蔚蟼 伪位位维 魏维蟺慰喂伪 蟽蟿喂纬渭萎 伪谓伪尾伪胃渭委味蔚蟿伪喂 魏伪喂 伪蟻蠂委味蔚喂 谓伪 蔚蟻纬维味蔚蟿伪喂 蠅蟼 渭苇谓蟿喂慰蠀渭. 螝蟻伪蟿维蔚喂 蠈渭蠅蟼 魏维蟺慰喂慰蠀蟼 伪蟺蠈 蟿慰蠀蟼 蟺喂慰 蟺喂蟽蟿慰蠉蟼 魏伪喂 蟺伪位喂慰蠉蟼 蟿畏蟼 蟺蔚位维蟿蔚蟼. 螌蟿伪谓 胃伪 蟿畏谓 蔚蟺喂蟽魏蔚蠁胃蔚委 畏 蟺位慰蠉蟽喂伪 魏伪喂 蔚蠉胃蟻伪蠀蟽蟿畏 危慰蠉味伪谓, 胃伪 尾蟻蔚喂 蟿畏 蠂蟻蠀蟽萎 蔚蠀魏伪喂蟻委伪 谓伪 尾纬维位蔚喂 蟺伪蟻伪蟺维谓蠅 蟺伪蟻伪未维魏喂 魏伪胃伪蟻委味慰谓蟿伪蟼 蟿畏谓 伪蠉蟻伪 蟿慰蠀 蟽蟺喂蟿喂慰蠉 蟿畏蟼, 蟿慰 慰蟺慰委慰 蔚委谓伪喂 苇谓伪 渭苇纬伪蟻慰 蠈蟺慰蠀 畏 危慰蠉味伪谓 味蔚喂 渭蔚 蟿慰谓 纬喂慰 魏伪喂 蟿慰谓 未喂伪蟿伪蟻伪纬渭苇谓慰, 魏伪蟿维 蟿伪 位蔚纬蠈渭蔚谓维 蟿畏蟼, 蟺蟻慰纬慰谓蠈 蟿畏蟼.
螠喂伪 伪蟺慰位伪蠀蟽蟿喂魏萎 喂蟽蟿慰蟻委伪 蟽蟿畏谓 慰蟺慰委伪 慰 伪谓伪纬谓蠋蟽蟿畏蟼 蠅蟼 蟿慰 蟿苇位慰蟼 伪谓伪蟻蠅蟿喂苇蟿伪喂 蟺慰喂慰蟼 蔚委谓伪喂 蟿慰 蟺伪喂未委 魏伪喂 蟺慰喂慰蟼 慰 蔚谓萎位喂魏伪蟼, 蟺慰喂慰蟼 蔚委谓伪喂 慰 魏伪位蠈蟼 魏伪喂 蟺慰喂慰蟼 慰 魏伪魏蠈蟼, 蟺慰蠉 蟿蔚位蔚喂蠋谓蔚喂 畏 蔚蟺喂谓蠈畏蟽畏 魏伪喂 蟺慰蠉 伪蟻蠂委味蔚喂 畏 伪位萎胃蔚喂伪. 螠喂伪 蠅未萎 蟽蟿畏谓 蟺伪蟻维未慰蟽畏 蟿蠅谓 喂蟽蟿慰蟻喂蠋谓 蟿蟻蠈渭慰蠀 渭蔚 伪谓伪蠁慰蟻苇蟼 蟽蔚 尾喂尾位委伪 蠈蟺蠅蟼 危蟿蟻委蠄喂渭慰 蟿畏蟼 尾委未伪蟼 (围苇谓蟻喂 韦味苇喂渭蟼), 螚 纬蠀谓伪委魏伪 渭蔚 蟿伪 位蔚蠀魏维 (螕慰蠀委位魏喂 螝蠈位喂谓蟼), 巍蔚渭蟺苇魏伪 (螖维蠁谓畏 螡蟿喂 螠慰蟻喂苇).
螠喂伪 蟺蔚蟻喂胃蠅蟻喂伪魏萎 蟺蔚蟻蟽蠈谓伪, 畏 畏蟻蠅委未伪, 伪蠁畏纬蔚委蟿伪喂 蟽蔚 蟺蟻蠋蟿慰 蟺蟻蠈蟽蠅蟺慰 蟿畏谓 喂蟽蟿慰蟻委伪 蟿畏蟼. 螔纬维味蔚喂 蟿慰 蠄蠅渭委 蟿畏蟼 蟺蟻慰蟽蠁苇蟻慰谓蟿伪蟼 蟽蔚尉慰蠀伪位喂魏苇蟼 蠂维蟻蔚蟼 蟽蔚 维谓蟿蟻蔚蟼 伪位位维 魏维蟺慰喂伪 蟽蟿喂纬渭萎 伪谓伪尾伪胃渭委味蔚蟿伪喂 魏伪喂 伪蟻蠂委味蔚喂 谓伪 蔚蟻纬维味蔚蟿伪喂 蠅蟼 渭苇谓蟿喂慰蠀渭. 螝蟻伪蟿维蔚喂 蠈渭蠅蟼 魏维蟺慰喂慰蠀蟼 伪蟺蠈 蟿慰蠀蟼 蟺喂慰 蟺喂蟽蟿慰蠉蟼 魏伪喂 蟺伪位喂慰蠉蟼 蟿畏蟼 蟺蔚位维蟿蔚蟼. 螌蟿伪谓 胃伪 蟿畏谓 蔚蟺喂蟽魏蔚蠁胃蔚委 畏 蟺位慰蠉蟽喂伪 魏伪喂 蔚蠉胃蟻伪蠀蟽蟿畏 危慰蠉味伪谓, 胃伪 尾蟻蔚喂 蟿畏 蠂蟻蠀蟽萎 蔚蠀魏伪喂蟻委伪 谓伪 尾纬维位蔚喂 蟺伪蟻伪蟺维谓蠅 蟺伪蟻伪未维魏喂 魏伪胃伪蟻委味慰谓蟿伪蟼 蟿畏谓 伪蠉蟻伪 蟿慰蠀 蟽蟺喂蟿喂慰蠉 蟿畏蟼, 蟿慰 慰蟺慰委慰 蔚委谓伪喂 苇谓伪 渭苇纬伪蟻慰 蠈蟺慰蠀 畏 危慰蠉味伪谓 味蔚喂 渭蔚 蟿慰谓 纬喂慰 魏伪喂 蟿慰谓 未喂伪蟿伪蟻伪纬渭苇谓慰, 魏伪蟿维 蟿伪 位蔚纬蠈渭蔚谓维 蟿畏蟼, 蟺蟻慰纬慰谓蠈 蟿畏蟼.
104 pages, Paperback
First published June 17, 2014
3,191 people are currently reading
87.4k people want to read
About the author
Gillian Flynn
26听books92.8k听followersGillian Flynn is an American author and television critic for Entertainment Weekly. She has so far written three novels, Sharp Objects, for which she won the 2007 Ian Fleming Steel Dagger for the best thriller; Dark Places; and her best-selling third novel Gone Girl.
Her book has received wide praise, including from authors such as Stephen King. The dark plot revolves around a serial killer in a Missouri town, and the reporter who has returned from Chicago to cover the event. Themes include dysfunctional families,violence and self-harm.
In 2007 the novel was shortlisted for the Mystery Writers of America Edgar for Best First Novel by an American Writer, Crime Writers' Association Duncan Lawrie, CWA New Blood and Ian Fleming Steel Daggers, winning in the last two categories.
Flynn, who lives in Chicago, grew up in Kansas City, Missouri. She graduated at the University of Kansas, and qualified for a Master's degree from Northwestern University.
Review Quotes:
"Gillian Flynn is the real deal, a sharp, acerbic, and compelling storyteller with a knack for the macabre."
鈥揝tephen King
Her book has received wide praise, including from authors such as Stephen King. The dark plot revolves around a serial killer in a Missouri town, and the reporter who has returned from Chicago to cover the event. Themes include dysfunctional families,violence and self-harm.
In 2007 the novel was shortlisted for the Mystery Writers of America Edgar for Best First Novel by an American Writer, Crime Writers' Association Duncan Lawrie, CWA New Blood and Ian Fleming Steel Daggers, winning in the last two categories.
Flynn, who lives in Chicago, grew up in Kansas City, Missouri. She graduated at the University of Kansas, and qualified for a Master's degree from Northwestern University.
Review Quotes:
"Gillian Flynn is the real deal, a sharp, acerbic, and compelling storyteller with a knack for the macabre."
鈥揝tephen King
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 17,051 reviews
September 26, 2015
The first part of this short story is... expected. It is exactly what I would expect from Gillian Flynn. An unnamed female narrator manipulates people every day in her job - from giving hand jobs to wealthy men to reading people's "auras".
She's smart, ambitious and perceptive. She has a laid back attitude towards sex, even as a form of manipulation. And she isn't afraid to screw people over to better herself. This is a character we would expect from Flynn.
However, the middle part of the story was, for me, the strongest. It is definitely very creepy and leaves you wondering whether this is a thriller or whether something supernatural is happening. Very psychological, very scary, and with twists and turns I didn't see coming.
The final third of the book, though, was where things got a little nuts. "Reveals" and "twists" went back on themselves (or did they?) and the ending gives us nothing. Ambiguous endings work sometimes, but this was a little too much of a non-ending for me.
I didn't stop giving hand jobs because I wasn't good at it. I stopped giving hand jobs because I was the best at it.
She's smart, ambitious and perceptive. She has a laid back attitude towards sex, even as a form of manipulation. And she isn't afraid to screw people over to better herself. This is a character we would expect from Flynn.
However, the middle part of the story was, for me, the strongest. It is definitely very creepy and leaves you wondering whether this is a thriller or whether something supernatural is happening. Very psychological, very scary, and with twists and turns I didn't see coming.
The final third of the book, though, was where things got a little nuts. "Reveals" and "twists" went back on themselves (or did they?) and the ending gives us nothing. Ambiguous endings work sometimes, but this was a little too much of a non-ending for me.
June 20, 2018
holiday hand jobs are sad for everyone.
2/3 of this story is fantastic. the ending is not.
you know how at the end of clue, you get a reasonable explanation for the murders and then this flashes on the screen:
followed by a less-satisfying solution
and then this
followed by the big, silly ensemble ending? that's kind of what this feels like, but with all the fun sucked out. clue can get away with twisting and turning and running all over the place making no sense and just having a good time because it's a campy screwball movie the whole way through. the way the ending of this story turns back on itself and says "but how about this?" feels less like a fun "gotcha!" than a writer still trying to decide how she wants her story to end.
the main problem is that i don't understand the frame of this story. the voice is excellent, and it showcases flynn's mastery of writing sympathetic bad-girl characters - in this case a woman with lots of stamina and no pride, taught the art of the sympathy-con as a little girl at her lazy mother's knee, through which experiences she learned the fine art of reading people: pinpointing what they want and how they want to see themselves and manipulating these into profit.
she's transitioning out of the soft-core sex trade, where For three years, I gave the best hand job in the tristate area because of health reasons:
I quit because when you give 23,546 hand jobs over a three-year period, carpal tunnel syndrome is a very real thing.
fortunately, Spiritual Palms is a business that provides handies in the back room, divination in the front, and for someone who has spent her life picking her marks and manipulating and milking them for results (and of course i am talking about her sob-story begging here, why you so scandalous?), aura-based spiritual advisory is a career that comes naturally.
when a client named susan burke comes to her with problems she is having with her stepson and the possibility that she has just moved into a haunted house, our "psychological intuitive" thinks JACKPOT! and offers susan her "domestic aura-cleansing" services:
Basically when someone moves into a new home, they call you. You wander around the house burning sage and sprinkling salt and murmuring a lot. Fresh start, wipe away any lingering bad energy from previous owners.
susan accepts and then things start to get reeeeal spooky for our retired hand-jobber.
and then the story changes from brassy sassy congirl story into gothic horror story, which is like changing from peanut butter into a unicorn. (for those of you who don't speak "karen," that translates into "unexpected, but equally awesome.") and it continues to be great (really great) and probably should have ended with But I wasn't a well-read bookworm; I was just a dumb whore in the right library.
BOOM!
because after that, it's a bit too much this and then THIS and then THIS!
and it devolves from a funny/gripping/spooky story into exposition town.
so now that that's all out of the way, i can finally talk about frame. my problem is that i don't know who this is narrated to - it's all in first-person declarative from our unnamed narrator, and it's in this provocative tone - all breezy insouciance that sounds half-performative, with all the clever-clever judgments
*Feeling sad means having too much time on your hands, usually. Really. I'm not a licensed therapist but usually it means too much time.
*People are dumb. I'll never get over how dumb people are.
*Money is wasted on the rich.
but also this:
So don't listen to that bitch Shardelle when she says I quit because I didn't have the talent.
which is clearly a defensive sentence directed at a listener, but who is the listener? there's no other mention of shardelle or why she would be throwing shade at our girl, and i just don't understand when this story is being told, or to whom.
it's a shame, because i loved the narrator's sex work observations - they reminded me of all the best parts of , and i loved the house and the kid and the cat and the way that part of the story was built up, but the ending was such a letdown. i think this story needed to either be longer, to explain its shape, or shorter to edit out the tacked-on weight.
but i would be perfectly willing to five-star the first 2/3 of this. i am doing that now in my heart.
2/3 of this story is fantastic. the ending is not.
you know how at the end of clue, you get a reasonable explanation for the murders and then this flashes on the screen:
followed by a less-satisfying solution
and then this
followed by the big, silly ensemble ending? that's kind of what this feels like, but with all the fun sucked out. clue can get away with twisting and turning and running all over the place making no sense and just having a good time because it's a campy screwball movie the whole way through. the way the ending of this story turns back on itself and says "but how about this?" feels less like a fun "gotcha!" than a writer still trying to decide how she wants her story to end.
the main problem is that i don't understand the frame of this story. the voice is excellent, and it showcases flynn's mastery of writing sympathetic bad-girl characters - in this case a woman with lots of stamina and no pride, taught the art of the sympathy-con as a little girl at her lazy mother's knee, through which experiences she learned the fine art of reading people: pinpointing what they want and how they want to see themselves and manipulating these into profit.
she's transitioning out of the soft-core sex trade, where For three years, I gave the best hand job in the tristate area because of health reasons:
I quit because when you give 23,546 hand jobs over a three-year period, carpal tunnel syndrome is a very real thing.
fortunately, Spiritual Palms is a business that provides handies in the back room, divination in the front, and for someone who has spent her life picking her marks and manipulating and milking them for results (and of course i am talking about her sob-story begging here, why you so scandalous?), aura-based spiritual advisory is a career that comes naturally.
when a client named susan burke comes to her with problems she is having with her stepson and the possibility that she has just moved into a haunted house, our "psychological intuitive" thinks JACKPOT! and offers susan her "domestic aura-cleansing" services:
Basically when someone moves into a new home, they call you. You wander around the house burning sage and sprinkling salt and murmuring a lot. Fresh start, wipe away any lingering bad energy from previous owners.
susan accepts and then things start to get reeeeal spooky for our retired hand-jobber.
and then the story changes from brassy sassy congirl story into gothic horror story, which is like changing from peanut butter into a unicorn. (for those of you who don't speak "karen," that translates into "unexpected, but equally awesome.") and it continues to be great (really great) and probably should have ended with But I wasn't a well-read bookworm; I was just a dumb whore in the right library.
BOOM!
because after that, it's a bit too much this and then THIS and then THIS!
and it devolves from a funny/gripping/spooky story into exposition town.
so now that that's all out of the way, i can finally talk about frame. my problem is that i don't know who this is narrated to - it's all in first-person declarative from our unnamed narrator, and it's in this provocative tone - all breezy insouciance that sounds half-performative, with all the clever-clever judgments
*Feeling sad means having too much time on your hands, usually. Really. I'm not a licensed therapist but usually it means too much time.
*People are dumb. I'll never get over how dumb people are.
*Money is wasted on the rich.
but also this:
So don't listen to that bitch Shardelle when she says I quit because I didn't have the talent.
which is clearly a defensive sentence directed at a listener, but who is the listener? there's no other mention of shardelle or why she would be throwing shade at our girl, and i just don't understand when this story is being told, or to whom.
it's a shame, because i loved the narrator's sex work observations - they reminded me of all the best parts of , and i loved the house and the kid and the cat and the way that part of the story was built up, but the ending was such a letdown. i think this story needed to either be longer, to explain its shape, or shorter to edit out the tacked-on weight.
but i would be perfectly willing to five-star the first 2/3 of this. i am doing that now in my heart.
December 11, 2018
read it for the first time in the Rogues anthology and loved it. bought it as it's own copy and loved it even more the second time around.
February 20, 2017
2.5
Let me just start by saying- I am a huge Gillian Flynn fan. I loved Dark Places more than words can say- and I adored Gone Girl. So I am not one of the "what is all the hype about?" people.
...but where THE GROWN UP is concerned....I don't get it. This is just not good. Not good at all.
It started out good.
I am not a person easily shocked or put off by unlikable characters doing smutty things.
So when the story started out with a women who gave perfect hand jobs- I said "YAY!!! Way to go you perfect handjob giver." *applause*- We all need to have something we are proud of...and why not that? I am sure perfect hand jobs have saved North America from imploding numerous times. So good for yooooou.
...but tragedy strikes quite quickly....
Ms. Handjob Girl- works at Spiritual Palms- a place that provides hand jobs at the back- while giving psychic readings out front. After her wrists give out- her boss suggests maybe she would be more suited to front-like-duties and Ms. Handjob says a BIG....YES to that.
Enter customer Susan...
Susan comes in claiming that either her house is haunted or her step son is evil...or possibly both- but whatever is going on she needs help, and she has ooooodles of money- and Ms. Handjob sees an opportunity to make a name for herself...and wants to grab some of the oodles for her own. Who doesn't want oodles?
So the smut...takes a ghostly turn...and it still worked.
It was creepy!!...but then creepy turned to...what the hell? What the HELL?
I am not a fan of detailed explanations at the end. The few times I tolerate it- have Miss Marple, Hercules Poirot, or Scooby Doo involved. If a mystery needs one of the characters to have a looooooong monologue explaining what has happened. I usually take off some points....and here I am doing that BIG TIME.
This veeeeeeeeeeeery short story- was 2/3s explanation at the end. Which makes me feel that it should have been a bigger story- not a short one. There was just too much going on to resolve it in 100 pages...or so.
Sorry Gillian- I do love you- really.
Let me just start by saying- I am a huge Gillian Flynn fan. I loved Dark Places more than words can say- and I adored Gone Girl. So I am not one of the "what is all the hype about?" people.
...but where THE GROWN UP is concerned....I don't get it. This is just not good. Not good at all.
It started out good.
I am not a person easily shocked or put off by unlikable characters doing smutty things.
So when the story started out with a women who gave perfect hand jobs- I said "YAY!!! Way to go you perfect handjob giver." *applause*- We all need to have something we are proud of...and why not that? I am sure perfect hand jobs have saved North America from imploding numerous times. So good for yooooou.
...but tragedy strikes quite quickly....
Ms. Handjob Girl- works at Spiritual Palms- a place that provides hand jobs at the back- while giving psychic readings out front. After her wrists give out- her boss suggests maybe she would be more suited to front-like-duties and Ms. Handjob says a BIG....YES to that.
Enter customer Susan...
Susan comes in claiming that either her house is haunted or her step son is evil...or possibly both- but whatever is going on she needs help, and she has ooooodles of money- and Ms. Handjob sees an opportunity to make a name for herself...and wants to grab some of the oodles for her own. Who doesn't want oodles?
So the smut...takes a ghostly turn...and it still worked.
It was creepy!!...but then creepy turned to...what the hell? What the HELL?
I am not a fan of detailed explanations at the end. The few times I tolerate it- have Miss Marple, Hercules Poirot, or Scooby Doo involved. If a mystery needs one of the characters to have a looooooong monologue explaining what has happened. I usually take off some points....and here I am doing that BIG TIME.
This veeeeeeeeeeeery short story- was 2/3s explanation at the end. Which makes me feel that it should have been a bigger story- not a short one. There was just too much going on to resolve it in 100 pages...or so.
Sorry Gillian- I do love you- really.
January 9, 2016
I loved the book! What better compliment can I say?
TWISTING YOUR MIND
Gillian Flynn! You did it again!
I loved to read this short story!
I loved how Gillian Flynn, the author, played with my brain. At the end of the reading, my mind was so screwed up (but in the good way!), that I was thankful that she didn鈥檛 gave up a clear explanation about what just happened in those couple of hours while I was engaging into the book.
Sometimes you need explanations, and I have no doubt that some people need those explanation all the time, but in my case, all depends about each reading鈥檚 journey in particular. There are books where I hated when they don鈥檛 explain what the heck is going on, but here, at least for me, it was a wonderful demented trip where I am truly glad that no clear explanation was given. You have to choose what you think was the truth, if there is something as that in this clever story.
There are moments when you are grateful with the author for a guiding hand through the narrative, but for me, this wasn鈥檛 one of those moments. I enjoyed to be in the middle of that twisted tale, not knowing what was happening, and even better finishing the reading and still not knowing for sure what the heck happened.
THE APPEALING OF A SHORT STORY
I think that a key element that helped me to enjoy that much this book, it was that it was a short story.
I guess that after investing several days (sometimes even weeks or months) reading a thick book, you definitely aren鈥檛 in the mood of finishing it without a clear explanation of what really happened.
However, in the brief boundaries of a short story (where at least I only invested two hours) I think that you can find the appealing of ending the reading still with doubts, uncertainties, foggy scenarios, where you need to choose what you believe was the reality, or even why not? Leaving the book with its enigmas. Life is good with some mysteries on it. When you know everything about something or someone, the interest severely decreases.
Again, in my particular case, I know that it helps that it was a short story to be able to enjoy the ride, where I read a tale where Gillian Flynn exploited what I like the most of her writing style: engaging narrative where you really feel that the chosen narrator is talking to you in an openly way, and her characters鈥� development is quite believable.
I do hope that Gillian Flynn would write more short stories, even publishing an anthology, many acomplished novelists have been successful with short stories鈥� collections too.
TWISTING YOUR MIND
Gillian Flynn! You did it again!
I loved to read this short story!
I loved how Gillian Flynn, the author, played with my brain. At the end of the reading, my mind was so screwed up (but in the good way!), that I was thankful that she didn鈥檛 gave up a clear explanation about what just happened in those couple of hours while I was engaging into the book.
Sometimes you need explanations, and I have no doubt that some people need those explanation all the time, but in my case, all depends about each reading鈥檚 journey in particular. There are books where I hated when they don鈥檛 explain what the heck is going on, but here, at least for me, it was a wonderful demented trip where I am truly glad that no clear explanation was given. You have to choose what you think was the truth, if there is something as that in this clever story.
There are moments when you are grateful with the author for a guiding hand through the narrative, but for me, this wasn鈥檛 one of those moments. I enjoyed to be in the middle of that twisted tale, not knowing what was happening, and even better finishing the reading and still not knowing for sure what the heck happened.
THE APPEALING OF A SHORT STORY
I think that a key element that helped me to enjoy that much this book, it was that it was a short story.
I guess that after investing several days (sometimes even weeks or months) reading a thick book, you definitely aren鈥檛 in the mood of finishing it without a clear explanation of what really happened.
However, in the brief boundaries of a short story (where at least I only invested two hours) I think that you can find the appealing of ending the reading still with doubts, uncertainties, foggy scenarios, where you need to choose what you believe was the reality, or even why not? Leaving the book with its enigmas. Life is good with some mysteries on it. When you know everything about something or someone, the interest severely decreases.
Again, in my particular case, I know that it helps that it was a short story to be able to enjoy the ride, where I read a tale where Gillian Flynn exploited what I like the most of her writing style: engaging narrative where you really feel that the chosen narrator is talking to you in an openly way, and her characters鈥� development is quite believable.
I do hope that Gillian Flynn would write more short stories, even publishing an anthology, many acomplished novelists have been successful with short stories鈥� collections too.
August 21, 2019
1 "this short story is the biggest scam and piece of crap" stars !!
2016 Book I was most afraid to Hate (Runner Up)
This book f'in infuriated me!
Some of you know I was not a big fan of Gone Girl (2.5 star read). Not badly written but ridiculous.
Yesterday we were in Indigo bookstore and they were selling this little piece of doo-doo for $12.99.
Can you f'in believe it?
This is the biggest sociopathic money-grab I've seen in publishing.
I read this in 25 minutes and I borrowed it from the library.
Waste of time about a poor con-artist who tells fortunes and gives handjobs who gets caught up with a rich con-artist and her disturbed stepson. Blah blah blah boring boring boring bullshit story.
This book is a mirror to the unethicalness of releasing this shitty story as a stand-alone and having consumers buy it. Whoever paid $12.99 for this?...my heart sincerely goes out to you.
Ms. Flynn I will never give you a penny of my money ever again. Shame on you!!!
The rant is done. I am bloody maaaaaaad.
Addendum: Could it be that my first read of the year is the worst of the year? Perhaps it means that the rest of my reads will be wonderful, insightful and glorious :)
2016 Book I was most afraid to Hate (Runner Up)
This book f'in infuriated me!
Some of you know I was not a big fan of Gone Girl (2.5 star read). Not badly written but ridiculous.
Yesterday we were in Indigo bookstore and they were selling this little piece of doo-doo for $12.99.
Can you f'in believe it?
This is the biggest sociopathic money-grab I've seen in publishing.
I read this in 25 minutes and I borrowed it from the library.
Waste of time about a poor con-artist who tells fortunes and gives handjobs who gets caught up with a rich con-artist and her disturbed stepson. Blah blah blah boring boring boring bullshit story.
This book is a mirror to the unethicalness of releasing this shitty story as a stand-alone and having consumers buy it. Whoever paid $12.99 for this?...my heart sincerely goes out to you.
Ms. Flynn I will never give you a penny of my money ever again. Shame on you!!!
The rant is done. I am bloody maaaaaaad.
Addendum: Could it be that my first read of the year is the worst of the year? Perhaps it means that the rest of my reads will be wonderful, insightful and glorious :)
December 30, 2017
5 STARS
This is a short story, people! Don鈥檛 get your panties in a twist saying you don鈥檛 understand such a short weird novel. Yes, it鈥檚 short! Yes, it鈥檚 weird and dark. HELLERRRRRR...it鈥檚 Gillian Flynn 馃槏馃槏
If the old Twilight tv show and the lovely Black Mirror series were shaken and stirred..... well, you would have this itty bitty book to drive you crazy.
I love a great short story, typically they concentrate on creating a mood, rather than a plot. Flynn does not disappoint with The Grownup. It鈥檚 funny, sarcastic and witty. And readable in 45 minutes! If you鈥檙e aching for Flynn鈥檚 next blockbuster novel, this baby should help tide the cravings. It can also help you meet your GR reading goal馃槀
This is a short story, people! Don鈥檛 get your panties in a twist saying you don鈥檛 understand such a short weird novel. Yes, it鈥檚 short! Yes, it鈥檚 weird and dark. HELLERRRRRR...it鈥檚 Gillian Flynn 馃槏馃槏
If the old Twilight tv show and the lovely Black Mirror series were shaken and stirred..... well, you would have this itty bitty book to drive you crazy.
I love a great short story, typically they concentrate on creating a mood, rather than a plot. Flynn does not disappoint with The Grownup. It鈥檚 funny, sarcastic and witty. And readable in 45 minutes! If you鈥檙e aching for Flynn鈥檚 next blockbuster novel, this baby should help tide the cravings. It can also help you meet your GR reading goal馃槀
March 5, 2016
It takes some serious skill to write a story that is so layered and has such well-developed characters in only 65 pages. But leave it to Gillian Flynn to do it. I loved this modern take on the classic haunted house story. It's messed up and so well executed. She's really great at creating voices that are identifiable and confidently written. Once again I'm out of Flynn material to read. Can't wait for whatever she comes up with next.
June 20, 2022
When a fake cut-price psychic visits a scary 鈥渉aunted鈥� Victorian house called Caterhook Manor of Susan Burke to help her escape from terror and grief, she had no clue that she would have to face enormous obstacles and that her concept of ghosts and exorcism might change forever. The events following that will take us for an exciting ride.
Gillian Flynn is one of my favorite authors. I had no clue that she wrote a fourth book until last Wednesday. So as soon I saw this book, I bought it and finished reading it.
What I learned from this book
1) A new cause for Carpal tunnel syndrome
There are many causes for carpal tunnel syndrome (median nerve compression in the carpal tunnel) mentioned in the Medical literature.
Its main risk factors are diabetes, thyroid dysfunction, High Blood Pressure, and Rheumatoid arthritis. I had never thought about a cause for it mentioned in this book, though. (I can't explain more about it here as it will be a spoiler)
2) Why are some people easily offended
The protagonist in this book mentions that people in the upper-middle class and lower-upper class are easily offended. She also divulges multiple rationales behind it in several parts of this book.
3) Our choice of books help us to built friendship with people from any class
The protagonist, who struggles to make ends meet, made a friendship with a rich guy Michael partially due to their common interest in books. Books are the best friends we can have and also can help us get the best friends.
My favorite three lines from this book
What I didn鈥檛 like in this book
It is too short for having too many plot twists. It lacked the X factor, which is commonly seen in books written by Gillian Flynn.
Rating
3/5 This book is a good one time read. But I think it could have been a better one if the author could have strived a little bit harder.
Gillian Flynn is one of my favorite authors. I had no clue that she wrote a fourth book until last Wednesday. So as soon I saw this book, I bought it and finished reading it.
What I learned from this book
1) A new cause for Carpal tunnel syndrome
There are many causes for carpal tunnel syndrome (median nerve compression in the carpal tunnel) mentioned in the Medical literature.
Its main risk factors are diabetes, thyroid dysfunction, High Blood Pressure, and Rheumatoid arthritis. I had never thought about a cause for it mentioned in this book, though. (I can't explain more about it here as it will be a spoiler)
鈥淚 quit my job after a three-year period, as carpal tunnel syndrome is a very real thing.鈥�
2) Why are some people easily offended
The protagonist in this book mentions that people in the upper-middle class and lower-upper class are easily offended. She also divulges multiple rationales behind it in several parts of this book.
鈥淭hese are people whose primary purpose is to live in the city but feel like they are in the suburbs鈥�
3) Our choice of books help us to built friendship with people from any class
The protagonist, who struggles to make ends meet, made a friendship with a rich guy Michael partially due to their common interest in books. Books are the best friends we can have and also can help us get the best friends.
鈥淭he only thing I really knew about Mike was he loved books. He recommended books with the fervor I鈥檝e always craved as an aspiring nerd: with urgency and camaraderie. You have to read this! Pretty soon, we had our own private book club.鈥�
My favorite three lines from this book
鈥淗ow do you keep a thousand books in one room and then call the room a den?鈥�
鈥淎n angry stepson and a husband who was always away, no wonder she let her mind go to dark places.鈥�
鈥淓mpathetic silence is one of the most underused weapons in the world.鈥�
What I didn鈥檛 like in this book
It is too short for having too many plot twists. It lacked the X factor, which is commonly seen in books written by Gillian Flynn.
Rating
3/5 This book is a good one time read. But I think it could have been a better one if the author could have strived a little bit harder.
December 29, 2018
Holy crap on a cracker! That was so damn bizarre and good, I went and bought the kindle edition after reading the library book!! I can鈥檛 even people!!
Happy Reading!
Mel 馃枻馃惗馃惡馃惥
Happy Reading!
Mel 馃枻馃惗馃惡馃惥
November 4, 2015
Find all of my reviews at:
Before I begin this 鈥渞eview鈥� 鈥� here鈥檚 a little Public Service Announcement for all you fine folks. While The Grownup had a publication date of yesterday 鈥� the story actually came out back in 2014 under the title What Do You Do? (Sidenote: New title is mucho better) which was contained in the short story collection Rogues. When I hopped over to the library website there were FIFTY people ahead of me for The Grownup. There were zero for Rogues. Ha! Take that stupids! This little experiment also proved (once again) that . . .
Now, on to the story. Don鈥檛 let my rating fool you 鈥� it鈥檚 because I fail at short stories, not because the story itself was a failure. The Grownup is the tale of a woman who had a pretty horrible childhood. Forced to panhandle by her lazy sloth of a mother, she took the first chance that came her way in order to escape. That chance came at a place called 鈥淪piritual Palms鈥� . . .
I鈥檇 answered an ad for a receptionist. It turned out 鈥渞eceptionist鈥� meant 鈥渉ooker.鈥�
Like d茅j脿 vu all over again. No worries, my dear MC 鈥� it happens to the best of us.
It鈥檚 at Spirutal Palms where our leading lady makes a real name for herself 鈥� in the form of rubber-gloving-up and performing 23,456 handies over a three-year period . . .
Unfortunately, with that much repeated hand motion carpal tunnel syndrome was inevitable. Lucky for our MC she was also blessed with an ability to see auras which led to a job not in the sticky back room. That is where she meets Susan, a wealthy woman who is experiencing some difficulty adjusting to life in her renovated mansion, as well as with her stepson. The boy seems a little . . . off. Or maybe he鈥檚 just pubing out? I don鈥檛 know. I have a teenager and I鈥檓 always struggling to figure out if he鈥檚 possessed by a demon or simply hormonal . . .
Whatever the case may be, it鈥檚 Flynn so some twists and turns and stuff and things then ensue. And then? Well, then it ended. Dammit! I was just getting warmed up. But again, it鈥檚 Flynn. I have a feeling her response to my cries of wanting more of her story would be something like this . . .
I did indeed whatever. Pass me another cup of Kool-Aid, you booktease. I鈥檓 still thirsty.
Before I begin this 鈥渞eview鈥� 鈥� here鈥檚 a little Public Service Announcement for all you fine folks. While The Grownup had a publication date of yesterday 鈥� the story actually came out back in 2014 under the title What Do You Do? (Sidenote: New title is mucho better) which was contained in the short story collection Rogues. When I hopped over to the library website there were FIFTY people ahead of me for The Grownup. There were zero for Rogues. Ha! Take that stupids! This little experiment also proved (once again) that . . .
Now, on to the story. Don鈥檛 let my rating fool you 鈥� it鈥檚 because I fail at short stories, not because the story itself was a failure. The Grownup is the tale of a woman who had a pretty horrible childhood. Forced to panhandle by her lazy sloth of a mother, she took the first chance that came her way in order to escape. That chance came at a place called 鈥淪piritual Palms鈥� . . .
I鈥檇 answered an ad for a receptionist. It turned out 鈥渞eceptionist鈥� meant 鈥渉ooker.鈥�
Like d茅j脿 vu all over again. No worries, my dear MC 鈥� it happens to the best of us.
It鈥檚 at Spirutal Palms where our leading lady makes a real name for herself 鈥� in the form of rubber-gloving-up and performing 23,456 handies over a three-year period . . .
Unfortunately, with that much repeated hand motion carpal tunnel syndrome was inevitable. Lucky for our MC she was also blessed with an ability to see auras which led to a job not in the sticky back room. That is where she meets Susan, a wealthy woman who is experiencing some difficulty adjusting to life in her renovated mansion, as well as with her stepson. The boy seems a little . . . off. Or maybe he鈥檚 just pubing out? I don鈥檛 know. I have a teenager and I鈥檓 always struggling to figure out if he鈥檚 possessed by a demon or simply hormonal . . .
Whatever the case may be, it鈥檚 Flynn so some twists and turns and stuff and things then ensue. And then? Well, then it ended. Dammit! I was just getting warmed up. But again, it鈥檚 Flynn. I have a feeling her response to my cries of wanting more of her story would be something like this . . .
I did indeed whatever. Pass me another cup of Kool-Aid, you booktease. I鈥檓 still thirsty.
March 8, 2021
4,5 猸� porque eu simplesmente queria mais.
"茅 a forma mais f谩cil de dizer 脿s pessoas o que elas querem ouvir: perguntar o que querem."
"茅 a forma mais f谩cil de dizer 脿s pessoas o que elas querem ouvir: perguntar o que querem."
December 2, 2020
Take a potentially haunted house...
Then toss in a creepy fucking kid.
Add in a retired handjob "specialist" with carpal tunnel, turned psychic grifter who (kinda/sorta) grows a conscience.
At which time she learns something the rest of us already know.
No good deed goes unpunished.
And there you have the recipe for a short story by Gillian Flynn and a fun way to spend your lunch hour.
I listened to the Penguin Random House Audio Publishing Group audiobook read by Julia Whelan.
Then toss in a creepy fucking kid.
Add in a retired handjob "specialist" with carpal tunnel, turned psychic grifter who (kinda/sorta) grows a conscience.
At which time she learns something the rest of us already know.
No good deed goes unpunished.
And there you have the recipe for a short story by Gillian Flynn and a fun way to spend your lunch hour.
I listened to the Penguin Random House Audio Publishing Group audiobook read by Julia Whelan.
November 21, 2015
I really didn't think I was going to bother with this one.
The very first description I saw was:
"Gillian Flynn鈥檚 Edgar Award-winning homage to the classic ghost story, published for the first time as a standalone."
After reading that description I wasn't all that interested. However, after reading a few reviews that piqued my interest I thought ah it's only 60ish pages long. What's the harm?
I think if I hadn't known it was a short story when I bought it, I may have been a little ticked off....maybe more than a little. But because I knew how short it was that part didn't bother me as much.
Like quite a few other people I've been anxiously awaiting something new from Gillian Flynn. For some this may fill that need but for me it just left me sort of ....Meh
Apparently this was originally titled "What Do You Do" and was published in a collection of short stories, edited and compiled by George R.R. Martin and Gardner Dozois. It's said that George R.R. Martin asked Gillian Flynn to contribute a short story for his collection. A collection that consisted of stories that were centered around thieves, cheats, con men, frauds, liars etc.
As this is a short story I'll try not to give anything away. Right off in the first line we meet a self-proclaimed expert hand job giver (hand-jobber?). She wants everyone to know she isn't quitting because she is bad at what she does, but she does have to semi-retire from her trade due to a painful wrist condition. In between occasionally servicing a few of her regulars she is now attempting to earn a living as a psychic. This leads to her becoming entangled with a mysterious family.
It's told from the point of view of the handy fake psychic. I'm still not sure how I feel about her. Yes she's a shyster (I don't get to use that word often enough) but I just found I didn't dislike her as much as I thought I would, and even enjoyed her sense of humour.
All in all for 60 pages it was fairly entertaining and the story held my interest. Although it was short I thought the characters were reasonably developed but felt that the ending (mostly open to interpretation) could have been better.
As a fan of Gillian Flynn "The Grownup" offered a decent taste but definitely left me wanting more....
The very first description I saw was:
"Gillian Flynn鈥檚 Edgar Award-winning homage to the classic ghost story, published for the first time as a standalone."
After reading that description I wasn't all that interested. However, after reading a few reviews that piqued my interest I thought ah it's only 60ish pages long. What's the harm?
I think if I hadn't known it was a short story when I bought it, I may have been a little ticked off....maybe more than a little. But because I knew how short it was that part didn't bother me as much.
Like quite a few other people I've been anxiously awaiting something new from Gillian Flynn. For some this may fill that need but for me it just left me sort of ....Meh
Apparently this was originally titled "What Do You Do" and was published in a collection of short stories, edited and compiled by George R.R. Martin and Gardner Dozois. It's said that George R.R. Martin asked Gillian Flynn to contribute a short story for his collection. A collection that consisted of stories that were centered around thieves, cheats, con men, frauds, liars etc.
As this is a short story I'll try not to give anything away. Right off in the first line we meet a self-proclaimed expert hand job giver (hand-jobber?). She wants everyone to know she isn't quitting because she is bad at what she does, but she does have to semi-retire from her trade due to a painful wrist condition. In between occasionally servicing a few of her regulars she is now attempting to earn a living as a psychic. This leads to her becoming entangled with a mysterious family.
It's told from the point of view of the handy fake psychic. I'm still not sure how I feel about her. Yes she's a shyster (I don't get to use that word often enough) but I just found I didn't dislike her as much as I thought I would, and even enjoyed her sense of humour.
All in all for 60 pages it was fairly entertaining and the story held my interest. Although it was short I thought the characters were reasonably developed but felt that the ending (mostly open to interpretation) could have been better.
As a fan of Gillian Flynn "The Grownup" offered a decent taste but definitely left me wanting more....
December 20, 2023
3.5 stars
I just finished reading this for the second time, I barely remembered anything about my first time reading this, and this book is a fun time. This time around it was feeling like a 3 star until I got to the twist, I was surprised again because I didn鈥檛 remember where the story ended up going. However, I鈥檓 still not the biggest fan of the ending. This book is only 60 pages, I feel like it left me wanting just a little bit more. But it鈥檚 still a fun time with an interesting protagonist and a creepy house and creepy family.
Original review:
I read this book for two reasons: Gillian Flynn and a paranormal story line. I read Gone Girl last year and I absolutely loved it and I've been wanting to read more of her books, and since this one is so short I figured why not just read it real quick? It's only 60 pages and yet, those 60 pages built incredible characters and an intense story that held my attention so well. It was creepy and dark and there were amazing plot twists in perfect Gillian Flynn fashion. The beginning was very erotic and the female lead is very manipulative. The middle section of this book is full of creepy, amazing details of this boy Miles who is threatening to murder his family members. The house is "watching" her. I love creepy weird things like this. Then, the 3rd and final part of this book has so many shocking reveals I couldn't keep up with what was happening. It was incredible, I loved it. Then, the ending happened and I have to say, I wasn't a huge fan of that ending, if you can even call that an ending. It was too big of a cliff hanger for my taste, so I ended up knocking off a star in my rating because of it. But other than the very abrupt ending, I really enjoyed this book and Gillian Flynn is still a favorite author of mine.
I just finished reading this for the second time, I barely remembered anything about my first time reading this, and this book is a fun time. This time around it was feeling like a 3 star until I got to the twist, I was surprised again because I didn鈥檛 remember where the story ended up going. However, I鈥檓 still not the biggest fan of the ending. This book is only 60 pages, I feel like it left me wanting just a little bit more. But it鈥檚 still a fun time with an interesting protagonist and a creepy house and creepy family.
Original review:
I read this book for two reasons: Gillian Flynn and a paranormal story line. I read Gone Girl last year and I absolutely loved it and I've been wanting to read more of her books, and since this one is so short I figured why not just read it real quick? It's only 60 pages and yet, those 60 pages built incredible characters and an intense story that held my attention so well. It was creepy and dark and there were amazing plot twists in perfect Gillian Flynn fashion. The beginning was very erotic and the female lead is very manipulative. The middle section of this book is full of creepy, amazing details of this boy Miles who is threatening to murder his family members. The house is "watching" her. I love creepy weird things like this. Then, the 3rd and final part of this book has so many shocking reveals I couldn't keep up with what was happening. It was incredible, I loved it. Then, the ending happened and I have to say, I wasn't a huge fan of that ending, if you can even call that an ending. It was too big of a cliff hanger for my taste, so I ended up knocking off a star in my rating because of it. But other than the very abrupt ending, I really enjoyed this book and Gillian Flynn is still a favorite author of mine.
February 23, 2018
A 64 pages like..having A Hand Job..
..for the mind by A Real Hand Job & "Aura read" expert, A Desperate Housewife, An Ancient Creepy Victorian House, A Wicked 15 years old boy -but looks 12- AND Gillian Flynn herself.
Gone Girl 噩賷賱賷丕賳 賮賱賷賳 賲丐賱賮丞
爻鬲鬲賱丕毓亘 亘毓賯賱賰 亘卮賰賱 噩賴賳賲賷 賴賳丕貙賲毓 賮鬲丕丞 禺亘賷乇丞 賮賷 賲賳丨 丕賱乇噩丕賱 丕賱毓丕丿丞 丕賱爻乇賷丞 賵兀賷囟丕 賯乇丕亍丕鬲 賴丕賱丕鬲 丕賱亘卮乇 丕賱乇賵丨賷丞 , 乇亘丞 賲賳夭賱 亘丕卅爻丞, 賲賳夭賱 賮賷賰鬲賵乇賷 賲賯亘囟 賲乇毓亘 , 賵胤賮賱 睾乇賷亘 丕賱兀胤賵丕乇 賮賷 丕賱禺丕賲爻丞 毓卮乇 賲賳 毓賲乇賴 -卮賰賱賴 賮賯胤 12 毓丕賲丕- 賱賲丿丞 64 氐賮丨丞
亘氐乇丕丨丞 賱丕 兀賳賰乇 丕賳賳賷 氐丿賲鬲 亘丕賱爻胤乇 丕賱兀賵賱 賲賳 丕賱乇賵丕賷丞.賵賲賴賳丞 丕賱亘胤賱丞 ...賱丕 兀丿乇賷 廿賳 鬲乇噩賲賴丕 賲鬲乇噩賲 賰亘毓囟 賲賳 毓賱賶 丕賱爻丕丨丞 賱噩毓賱賴丕 兀爻賵兀 賲賲丕 賷賲賰賳貙 賵 賱賰賳 噩賷賱賷丕賳 賮賱賷賳 賱賴丕 兀爻賱賵亘 賯丕鬲賲 賮賷 乇賵丕賷丕鬲賴丕 ..氐丕丿賲 賵賱賰賳 賱賷爻 賮丕丨卮...賵賴賷 賲鬲禺氐氐丞 鬲賯丿賷賲 賳賲丕匕噩 賲囟賴胤丿丞 賲賳 丕賱賳爻丕亍..兀賵 鬲賲乇 亘賲乇丨賱丞 賲賳 丕賱賷兀爻 丕賱匕賷 賯丿 賷丿賮毓賴丕 賱賲孬賱 鬲賱賰 丕賱兀卮賷丕亍 丕賱氐毓亘丞 賲孬賱 賯乇丕亍鬲賷 丕賱兀賵賱賷 賱賴丕
Sharp Object's Review
賵亘賲乇賵乇 丕賱兀丨丿丕孬 賵亘丿亍 丕賱毓賳氐乇 丕賱賰卅賷亘 丕賱賲乇毓亘 亘賴 卮毓乇鬲 兀賳 丕賱爻胤乇 丕賱兀賵賱 賱賲 賷賰賳 賱賴 兀賷 丿丕毓
賵賱賰賳 氐丿賯賳賷 , 丕賱賲丐賱賮 丕賱賲賲鬲丕夭 賱丕 賷鬲乇賰 鬲賮氐賷賱丞 丿賵賳 丕賳 賷賰賵賳 賱賴丕 賱夭賵賲 亘丕賱兀丨丿丕孬
亘丕賱兀禺氐 賮賷 賲孬賱 鬲賱賰 丕賱賯氐丞 丕賱賯氐賷乇丞 丕賱鬲賷 , 賯丕賲鬲 亘賮毓賱 賮丕丨卮 賮賷 毓賯賱賷 亘賳賴丕賷鬲賴丕 丕賱毓噩賷亘丞
賵賲毓 匕賱賰 , 兀毓噩亘賳賷!!!! 賰卅賷亘丞 , 賲賯亘囟丞 , 賵亘賳賴丕賷丞 爻賷卅丞 賲賮鬲賵丨丞 賵賱賰賳 毓賳氐乇 丕賱賲鬲毓丞 賲賵噩賵丿 賵亘賯賵丞
賰賲丕 兀賳 毓卮賯 丕賱亘胤賱丞 賱乇賵丕賷丕鬲 丕賱乇毓亘 丕賱賰賱丕爻賷賰賷丞 賰丕賳 廿囟丕賮丞 賲賲鬲丕夭丞 賱賱兀丨丿丕孬 賵賲卮噩毓 賱賯乇丕亍丞 乇賵丕賷丕鬲 丕賱乇毓亘 丕賱賰賱丕爻賷賰賷丞 丕賷囟丕
丿賵乇 丕賱夭賵噩丞 丕賱禺丕卅賮丞 賲賳 丕亘賳 夭賵噩賴丕 , 賵丕賱丕亘賳 丕賱賲乇丕賴賯 丕賱毓噩賷亘 賳賮爻賴 賰丕賳鬲 賲賳 丕賯賵賷 丕賱兀噩夭丕亍 丕賷囟丕 賵賲乇爻賵賲丞 亘卮賰賱 賲賲鬲丕夭 亘乇睾賲 賲賳 氐睾乇 丨噩賲 丕賱丨賰丕賷丞
賵丕爻鬲禺丿丕賲 丕賱賲賮丕噩兀鬲 賮賷 丕賱賳賴丕賷丞 賵丕賱賯氐丞 毓賱賷 丕賱丕賳鬲乇賳鬲 賰丕賳 卮賷卅丕 賷賯賱亘 丕賱毓賯賱 賮毓賱丕
兀賱賲 丕賯賱 賱賰 丕賳賴 賱毓亘 亘丕賱毓賯賵賱責
Although I get shocked by the first line, and so first few pages, by how weird is this proud woman with her experience ,- loved her way telling her background though- , I start getting deep involved with the story when it became more into Haunted House one.. and creepy adolescent and wondered why the "hand job" stating this story?
Well I loved it ,I didn't like the open ending ... left me thinking as hell...it's really Good written though almost as the excellent writing of the whole story anyway.
and also loved how the protagonist loved book too... scary and thriller ones specially the very classics as
I'm sure gonna look for those soon.
I really also loved how desperate was the woman, how dark is the boy, and how the mind "blowing" the twists by the end...specially the one with the Internet..
Thanks Gillian Flynn for the amazing "Words Job" for the mind :)
賲丨賲丿 丕賱毓乇亘賷
賮賷 1 賮亘乇丕賷乇 2016
..for the mind by A Real Hand Job & "Aura read" expert, A Desperate Housewife, An Ancient Creepy Victorian House, A Wicked 15 years old boy -but looks 12- AND Gillian Flynn herself.
Gone Girl 噩賷賱賷丕賳 賮賱賷賳 賲丐賱賮丞
爻鬲鬲賱丕毓亘 亘毓賯賱賰 亘卮賰賱 噩賴賳賲賷 賴賳丕貙賲毓 賮鬲丕丞 禺亘賷乇丞 賮賷 賲賳丨 丕賱乇噩丕賱 丕賱毓丕丿丞 丕賱爻乇賷丞 賵兀賷囟丕 賯乇丕亍丕鬲 賴丕賱丕鬲 丕賱亘卮乇 丕賱乇賵丨賷丞 , 乇亘丞 賲賳夭賱 亘丕卅爻丞, 賲賳夭賱 賮賷賰鬲賵乇賷 賲賯亘囟 賲乇毓亘 , 賵胤賮賱 睾乇賷亘 丕賱兀胤賵丕乇 賮賷 丕賱禺丕賲爻丞 毓卮乇 賲賳 毓賲乇賴 -卮賰賱賴 賮賯胤 12 毓丕賲丕- 賱賲丿丞 64 氐賮丨丞
亘氐乇丕丨丞 賱丕 兀賳賰乇 丕賳賳賷 氐丿賲鬲 亘丕賱爻胤乇 丕賱兀賵賱 賲賳 丕賱乇賵丕賷丞.賵賲賴賳丞 丕賱亘胤賱丞 ...賱丕 兀丿乇賷 廿賳 鬲乇噩賲賴丕 賲鬲乇噩賲 賰亘毓囟 賲賳 毓賱賶 丕賱爻丕丨丞 賱噩毓賱賴丕 兀爻賵兀 賲賲丕 賷賲賰賳貙 賵 賱賰賳 噩賷賱賷丕賳 賮賱賷賳 賱賴丕 兀爻賱賵亘 賯丕鬲賲 賮賷 乇賵丕賷丕鬲賴丕 ..氐丕丿賲 賵賱賰賳 賱賷爻 賮丕丨卮...賵賴賷 賲鬲禺氐氐丞 鬲賯丿賷賲 賳賲丕匕噩 賲囟賴胤丿丞 賲賳 丕賱賳爻丕亍..兀賵 鬲賲乇 亘賲乇丨賱丞 賲賳 丕賱賷兀爻 丕賱匕賷 賯丿 賷丿賮毓賴丕 賱賲孬賱 鬲賱賰 丕賱兀卮賷丕亍 丕賱氐毓亘丞 賲孬賱 賯乇丕亍鬲賷 丕賱兀賵賱賷 賱賴丕
Sharp Object's Review
賵亘賲乇賵乇 丕賱兀丨丿丕孬 賵亘丿亍 丕賱毓賳氐乇 丕賱賰卅賷亘 丕賱賲乇毓亘 亘賴 卮毓乇鬲 兀賳 丕賱爻胤乇 丕賱兀賵賱 賱賲 賷賰賳 賱賴 兀賷 丿丕毓
賵賱賰賳 氐丿賯賳賷 , 丕賱賲丐賱賮 丕賱賲賲鬲丕夭 賱丕 賷鬲乇賰 鬲賮氐賷賱丞 丿賵賳 丕賳 賷賰賵賳 賱賴丕 賱夭賵賲 亘丕賱兀丨丿丕孬
亘丕賱兀禺氐 賮賷 賲孬賱 鬲賱賰 丕賱賯氐丞 丕賱賯氐賷乇丞 丕賱鬲賷 , 賯丕賲鬲 亘賮毓賱 賮丕丨卮 賮賷 毓賯賱賷 亘賳賴丕賷鬲賴丕 丕賱毓噩賷亘丞
賵賲毓 匕賱賰 , 兀毓噩亘賳賷!!!! 賰卅賷亘丞 , 賲賯亘囟丞 , 賵亘賳賴丕賷丞 爻賷卅丞 賲賮鬲賵丨丞 賵賱賰賳 毓賳氐乇 丕賱賲鬲毓丞 賲賵噩賵丿 賵亘賯賵丞
賰賲丕 兀賳 毓卮賯 丕賱亘胤賱丞 賱乇賵丕賷丕鬲 丕賱乇毓亘 丕賱賰賱丕爻賷賰賷丞 賰丕賳 廿囟丕賮丞 賲賲鬲丕夭丞 賱賱兀丨丿丕孬 賵賲卮噩毓 賱賯乇丕亍丞 乇賵丕賷丕鬲 丕賱乇毓亘 丕賱賰賱丕爻賷賰賷丞 丕賷囟丕
丿賵乇 丕賱夭賵噩丞 丕賱禺丕卅賮丞 賲賳 丕亘賳 夭賵噩賴丕 , 賵丕賱丕亘賳 丕賱賲乇丕賴賯 丕賱毓噩賷亘 賳賮爻賴 賰丕賳鬲 賲賳 丕賯賵賷 丕賱兀噩夭丕亍 丕賷囟丕 賵賲乇爻賵賲丞 亘卮賰賱 賲賲鬲丕夭 亘乇睾賲 賲賳 氐睾乇 丨噩賲 丕賱丨賰丕賷丞
賵丕爻鬲禺丿丕賲 丕賱賲賮丕噩兀鬲 賮賷 丕賱賳賴丕賷丞 賵丕賱賯氐丞 毓賱賷 丕賱丕賳鬲乇賳鬲 賰丕賳 卮賷卅丕 賷賯賱亘 丕賱毓賯賱 賮毓賱丕
兀賱賲 丕賯賱 賱賰 丕賳賴 賱毓亘 亘丕賱毓賯賵賱責
Although I get shocked by the first line, and so first few pages, by how weird is this proud woman with her experience ,- loved her way telling her background though- , I start getting deep involved with the story when it became more into Haunted House one.. and creepy adolescent and wondered why the "hand job" stating this story?
Well I loved it ,I didn't like the open ending ... left me thinking as hell...it's really Good written though almost as the excellent writing of the whole story anyway.
and also loved how the protagonist loved book too... scary and thriller ones specially the very classics as
I'm sure gonna look for those soon.
I really also loved how desperate was the woman, how dark is the boy, and how the mind "blowing" the twists by the end...specially the one with the Internet..
Thanks Gillian Flynn for the amazing "Words Job" for the mind :)
賲丨賲丿 丕賱毓乇亘賷
賮賷 1 賮亘乇丕賷乇 2016
March 12, 2016
Audiobook....freebie from the library....
Having 'zero' knowledge or information about this book...I downloaded it...
only remembering that I saw it around on 欧宝娱乐. I couldn't even remember how people rated it, let alone what it's about.
If the start of this book doesn't catch your attention, no book will.
I was crackin-up...walking on the trail... ( hoping nobody could hear what I was
listening too).
....But then it got less interesting ...
....Then a little less interesting...
....Then just weird...
(not horrible...but not great like the beginning: the humor started to slip)
However,
....The crafty ending is little cliff hanger...
Gillian Flynn had a line that made me laugh enough to want to
remember it and come home and share it with Paul:
"I would rather be a librarian, but I worry about job security, books may be temporary...
dicks are forever."
Come on... admit it... That's funny!
Overall 3.5
Having 'zero' knowledge or information about this book...I downloaded it...
only remembering that I saw it around on 欧宝娱乐. I couldn't even remember how people rated it, let alone what it's about.
If the start of this book doesn't catch your attention, no book will.
I was crackin-up...walking on the trail... ( hoping nobody could hear what I was
listening too).
....But then it got less interesting ...
....Then a little less interesting...
....Then just weird...
(not horrible...but not great like the beginning: the humor started to slip)
However,
....The crafty ending is little cliff hanger...
Gillian Flynn had a line that made me laugh enough to want to
remember it and come home and share it with Paul:
"I would rather be a librarian, but I worry about job security, books may be temporary...
dicks are forever."
Come on... admit it... That's funny!
Overall 3.5
March 25, 2016
Despite the short length, The Grownup is another fantastic example of Gillian Flynn's talent in creating a tense,creepy tale through her terrific writing.The short story follows a fake psychic who agrees to help Susan as she's encountering problems with her 15 year old son, Miles and believes it could have something to do with their new house.
This is another chilling tale by Gillian Flynn and never turns out how you expect it to.I really enjoyed how the story unraveled, although I felt it could have been a bit longer.
This is another chilling tale by Gillian Flynn and never turns out how you expect it to.I really enjoyed how the story unraveled, although I felt it could have been a bit longer.
January 6, 2019
First Reading: August 2016, Rating: 4 Stars
Second Reading: January 2019, Rating: 5 Stars
Gillian Flynn does it again!
The Grownup was written in a completely different vein from what I had expected, given the genre of her other books. One thing that did remain the same, though, was that she managed to shock and misdirect her readers page after page!
This follows the story of an unnamed sex-worker-turned-phony-physic and her bid to help a family plagued by a haunted house and a crazed step-son.
The story begun in a hilarious fashion and I warmed to the uncouth yet honest and likeable protagonist. She approached poignant and touching subject matters with a realness and a rawness that tempered the melancholy of her situation, when it would have been so easy to have been beaten by her wretched past.
The story seemed to progress in a predictable fashion and I felt the plot a little recycled from numerous spooky films. But this is Flynn's utter magic: she lures her reader into a false sense of knowing where they are going before taking them completely unawares! Bombshell after bombshell was dropped and the entire last quarter of the book saw the plot redirected on every other page!
What I adored about this the most were the hidden moments of artful brilliance littered in the text; one being how our unnamed protagonist's business card was found inside an old copy of Rebecca, an infamous novel featuring an unnamed protagonist. Just outstanding!
The ending had my low-key psycho side smirking in delight and I only wished that this story was elongated to full novel length as there was more than enough content that could have added to fill it!
Second Reading: January 2019, Rating: 5 Stars
Gillian Flynn does it again!
The Grownup was written in a completely different vein from what I had expected, given the genre of her other books. One thing that did remain the same, though, was that she managed to shock and misdirect her readers page after page!
This follows the story of an unnamed sex-worker-turned-phony-physic and her bid to help a family plagued by a haunted house and a crazed step-son.
The story begun in a hilarious fashion and I warmed to the uncouth yet honest and likeable protagonist. She approached poignant and touching subject matters with a realness and a rawness that tempered the melancholy of her situation, when it would have been so easy to have been beaten by her wretched past.
The story seemed to progress in a predictable fashion and I felt the plot a little recycled from numerous spooky films. But this is Flynn's utter magic: she lures her reader into a false sense of knowing where they are going before taking them completely unawares! Bombshell after bombshell was dropped and the entire last quarter of the book saw the plot redirected on every other page!
What I adored about this the most were the hidden moments of artful brilliance littered in the text; one being how our unnamed protagonist's business card was found inside an old copy of Rebecca, an infamous novel featuring an unnamed protagonist. Just outstanding!
The ending had my low-key psycho side smirking in delight and I only wished that this story was elongated to full novel length as there was more than enough content that could have added to fill it!
December 22, 2015
I'm not usually one who loves paranormal or ghost stories, but I do love Gillian Flynn's work so I wasn't about to shy away because it's a genre I don't usually gravitate toward. Hence why I picked up The Grownup and was suddenly immersed in a world that is, well....let's just say "kooky."
The Grownup is a short story that I read in about an hour. Set in a small town, the main character is an "aura reader" who is roped into conducting a sort of makeshift spiritual cleansing of a client's house. Fair enough, I suppose except it's not just this house that's seemingly crazy - the client's stepson apparently wants them all dead as well. As the story goes on, we, the readers, are faced with the question of whether it's the house or the stepson that's really the problem.
...which in itself sounds like a pretty fair premise. EXCEPT THIS ENDING SLAPS YOU IN THE FACE AND LEAVES YOU WONDERING WHAT THE SPARKLING HECK YOU JUST READ.
I know short stories are often notorious for having shock endings so that you aren't left feeling robbed of a full book, but I didn't know quite to make of this one. If Flynn was going for unexpected, then this one was spot on. However, the more I thought about the story, the more I have come to appreciate her choice. I won't give it away, but I think it's definitely worth your time to read.
This short story has been touted as Flynn's homage to the traditional ghost story. Originally it was included in a collection of short stories compiled by none other than George R.R. Martin, so this is it's first time being published as a stand-alone work.
Do I recommend it? Sure, I think if you aren't expecting it to be the scariest, or most mind-bending story you've ever read, you'll probably get a lot of joy out of it. But if you're looking for "the next Gone Girl" from Flynn, you're going to receive a significantly different experience. With that being said, I'd still highly recommend that you give it a chance.
| | |
The Grownup is a short story that I read in about an hour. Set in a small town, the main character is an "aura reader" who is roped into conducting a sort of makeshift spiritual cleansing of a client's house. Fair enough, I suppose except it's not just this house that's seemingly crazy - the client's stepson apparently wants them all dead as well. As the story goes on, we, the readers, are faced with the question of whether it's the house or the stepson that's really the problem.
...which in itself sounds like a pretty fair premise. EXCEPT THIS ENDING SLAPS YOU IN THE FACE AND LEAVES YOU WONDERING WHAT THE SPARKLING HECK YOU JUST READ.
I know short stories are often notorious for having shock endings so that you aren't left feeling robbed of a full book, but I didn't know quite to make of this one. If Flynn was going for unexpected, then this one was spot on. However, the more I thought about the story, the more I have come to appreciate her choice. I won't give it away, but I think it's definitely worth your time to read.
This short story has been touted as Flynn's homage to the traditional ghost story. Originally it was included in a collection of short stories compiled by none other than George R.R. Martin, so this is it's first time being published as a stand-alone work.
Do I recommend it? Sure, I think if you aren't expecting it to be the scariest, or most mind-bending story you've ever read, you'll probably get a lot of joy out of it. But if you're looking for "the next Gone Girl" from Flynn, you're going to receive a significantly different experience. With that being said, I'd still highly recommend that you give it a chance.
| | |
January 1, 2016
Flynn, you definitely know how to lure in a reader. Full shock value obtained in the opening page with the whole hand job introduction. I was unaware you could get carpal tunnel syndrome from giving too many although I guess any "job" comes with its occupational hazards.
This story isn鈥檛 about hand jobs though. It鈥檚 a little twister that involves some creepy characters and a plot that just isn't deep enough. I need a longer story, Flynn!
When I read your acknowledgements you wrote this little story for George R.R. Martin upon request, I thought, Damn It! He needs to finish the big honking finale to the Game of Thrones, which his fans have been waiting most impatiently for. He doesn鈥檛 have time to be sitting in his big, comfy overstuffed chair and delighting in a story. He鈥檚 got work to do, Flynn.
For me, you鈥檝e given him a distraction and for that I鈥檓 giving you a 3鈽�. Don鈥檛 take it personally - you have a style of writing I enjoy. I just need more than a wee dangler.
This story isn鈥檛 about hand jobs though. It鈥檚 a little twister that involves some creepy characters and a plot that just isn't deep enough. I need a longer story, Flynn!
When I read your acknowledgements you wrote this little story for George R.R. Martin upon request, I thought, Damn It! He needs to finish the big honking finale to the Game of Thrones, which his fans have been waiting most impatiently for. He doesn鈥檛 have time to be sitting in his big, comfy overstuffed chair and delighting in a story. He鈥檚 got work to do, Flynn.
For me, you鈥檝e given him a distraction and for that I鈥檓 giving you a 3鈽�. Don鈥檛 take it personally - you have a style of writing I enjoy. I just need more than a wee dangler.
Read
October 5, 2020**Re-read it 10/5/20
**Re-read it 9/2019
**Re-read it 10/2018 - I feel like this needs to be turned into a Netflix movie, it would be perfect.
**Re-read it 9/24/17 and loved it just as much as the first time I read it. It's spooky, insane, and it's an awesome quick read for the fall.
**Re-read it 10/15
________________________________
Of course this was a crazy mind-fuck like her other books and I loved every moment of it. I'll talk more about it in my November wrap up. :D
**Re-read it 9/2019
**Re-read it 10/2018 - I feel like this needs to be turned into a Netflix movie, it would be perfect.
**Re-read it 9/24/17 and loved it just as much as the first time I read it. It's spooky, insane, and it's an awesome quick read for the fall.
**Re-read it 10/15
________________________________
Of course this was a crazy mind-fuck like her other books and I loved every moment of it. I'll talk more about it in my November wrap up. :D
December 30, 2015
Who knew Gillian Flynn had such a great sense of humor? The first 15 pages or so of The Grownup are so hilarious and made me laugh so hard I thought that alone justified the $2.99 I paid for the story!
The story is breezy, funny and just a little bit spooky. I am big fan of Flynn's writing and love her capacity to entertain the reader while exploring very dark stories and characters.
But The Grownup shows a more humorous side of Flynn than anything I'd read from her in the past.
The unnamed protagonist, a calculated scammer, turned entry-level prostitute, turned fortune-teller, regards herself as a shrewd expert in human nature and is not ashamed to use her skills if it helps her in any way.
But she's a likable character and has aspirations, she says things like:
"An inside joke is like a symbol of friendship without having to do the work required of an actual friendship."
Or
"Empathetic silence is one of the most underused weapons in the world."
Or my favorite one:
"I would rather be a librarian, but I worry about the job security, books may be temporary; dicks are forever."
She's quite the character!
With a cast that includes a haunted house, a creepy dark-hair teenager and even an old tomcat, the Grownup might sound like a clich茅 ghost story but it really is not that at all.
If you are looking for a King-like spooky reading experience, I'd advise you to lower your expectations, I doubt will provide that.
What you will get instead is a clever, well written short story that should keep you entertained for an hour or so.
November 14, 2015
HA! I bet you've never read a novel that begins like this one.........
I went to bed last night shaking my head and smiling after reading Gillian Flynn's new short story. (written for George R. R. Martin)
Yep, it's dark, Yep, it's creepy-weird, and Yep, it has an ill-fated ambiguous ending and a nameless narrator. (no more hints)
What do you believe?
May 28, 2022
What ths hell. What the damn hell.
August 23, 2018
Actual rating: 4.5 馃専
I went into this thinking I'm not going to like it very much for two reasons:
1. It has the lowest rating out of books.
2. I'm not a fan of short stories.
Funnily enough, I ended up finding this to be the most interesting story out of the all the ones the wrote so far. There isn't much I can say about the plot or characters (since, after all, it's such a short piece of work - my copy has 57 pages with some rather large print), but somehow I was completely enthralled and would love to read a continuation. I think this would have made a very decent full-length book. It probably would have been better that way actually, since the twists and turns came very suddenly (sometimes a bit too sudden for me to follow).
This obviously isn't the greatest piece of fiction ever written, but it definitely sped up the bus journey I read it on and made me second-guess if maybe I should try reading short stories a bit more often.
I went into this thinking I'm not going to like it very much for two reasons:
1. It has the lowest rating out of books.
2. I'm not a fan of short stories.
Funnily enough, I ended up finding this to be the most interesting story out of the all the ones the wrote so far. There isn't much I can say about the plot or characters (since, after all, it's such a short piece of work - my copy has 57 pages with some rather large print), but somehow I was completely enthralled and would love to read a continuation. I think this would have made a very decent full-length book. It probably would have been better that way actually, since the twists and turns came very suddenly (sometimes a bit too sudden for me to follow).
This obviously isn't the greatest piece of fiction ever written, but it definitely sped up the bus journey I read it on and made me second-guess if maybe I should try reading short stories a bit more often.
December 22, 2015
Here's the big-time anti-snooze opening line:
鈥淚 didn鈥檛 stop giving hand jobs because I wasn鈥檛 good at it. I stopped giving hand jobs because I was the best at it.鈥�
Hm...that looks a little loud and shocking in boldface! But who cares? How can you beat an opener like that? And talk about having no idea where the story would go (could go) after that!
For a minute, I was worried that the whole story might be about hand jobs鈥攎aybe it would talk about methods and mistakes or other seedy aspects, which I have no interest in pondering. If it had stayed with the hand-job theme, it probably would have gotten monotonous and stupid after a while anyway. I also wondered if the story was going to be just too over-the-top. But honestly, I couldn't get my nose out of the story long enough to worry about it. I hopped on the roller coaster without looking up to see how steep the hills were. Reckless, yes, but not a second of regret.
For sure, some people will be turned off by the weird and racy beginning, but it just cracked me up. I mean really, I can鈥檛 recall ever reading a book about hand jobs, let alone a book that has me hanging out with a weirdo who gives hand jobs for a living (and who has to quit because she gets carpal tunnel!). How does Flynn think of these things? Besides, the narrator doesn't go into lurid detail about her profession; it's just the hook that draws you in. I thought it was super funny and clever.
All I have to say is Wow! This is another Gillian Flynn gem! Holy Toledo, what a story. It's super short (64 pages) so you can read it in one sitting. My only complaint is that I was salivating for more. It's late now, but I'm so jazzed I can't sleep鈥攃onsider reading this one in the morning to avoid insomnia.
A hilarious and bizarro narrator, whose middle name should be hustler, takes us on a wild ride that starts with a wallop and ends with a bang. Suspense is Flynn's middle name and I know I've gone too far with this middle name shit, but my mind wants to play play play since I unbuckled my seatbelt.
For those who don't like ghost stories (like me), never fear. It's Ghost Story Lite. There is no real hocus pocus, just a hint of a haunting.
The ending leaves you hanging, which usually pisses me off royally. Here, I just went with the flow鈥擨 think that's what happens when you're having a ball. The tone was so playful and mischievous, I just applied that to the ambiguous ending as well and had fun with it.
The small cast of characters consists of the hand-job-giver turned palm reader, a distraught housewife, and a possibly sociopathic teenage boy. Nothing but fun here. Twists, creepiness, messed up characters. Super entertaining! Check it out!
P.S. I'm sooo chomping at the bit for another Gillian Flynn novel!
鈥淚 didn鈥檛 stop giving hand jobs because I wasn鈥檛 good at it. I stopped giving hand jobs because I was the best at it.鈥�
Hm...that looks a little loud and shocking in boldface! But who cares? How can you beat an opener like that? And talk about having no idea where the story would go (could go) after that!
For a minute, I was worried that the whole story might be about hand jobs鈥攎aybe it would talk about methods and mistakes or other seedy aspects, which I have no interest in pondering. If it had stayed with the hand-job theme, it probably would have gotten monotonous and stupid after a while anyway. I also wondered if the story was going to be just too over-the-top. But honestly, I couldn't get my nose out of the story long enough to worry about it. I hopped on the roller coaster without looking up to see how steep the hills were. Reckless, yes, but not a second of regret.
For sure, some people will be turned off by the weird and racy beginning, but it just cracked me up. I mean really, I can鈥檛 recall ever reading a book about hand jobs, let alone a book that has me hanging out with a weirdo who gives hand jobs for a living (and who has to quit because she gets carpal tunnel!). How does Flynn think of these things? Besides, the narrator doesn't go into lurid detail about her profession; it's just the hook that draws you in. I thought it was super funny and clever.
All I have to say is Wow! This is another Gillian Flynn gem! Holy Toledo, what a story. It's super short (64 pages) so you can read it in one sitting. My only complaint is that I was salivating for more. It's late now, but I'm so jazzed I can't sleep鈥攃onsider reading this one in the morning to avoid insomnia.
A hilarious and bizarro narrator, whose middle name should be hustler, takes us on a wild ride that starts with a wallop and ends with a bang. Suspense is Flynn's middle name and I know I've gone too far with this middle name shit, but my mind wants to play play play since I unbuckled my seatbelt.
For those who don't like ghost stories (like me), never fear. It's Ghost Story Lite. There is no real hocus pocus, just a hint of a haunting.
The ending leaves you hanging, which usually pisses me off royally. Here, I just went with the flow鈥擨 think that's what happens when you're having a ball. The tone was so playful and mischievous, I just applied that to the ambiguous ending as well and had fun with it.
The small cast of characters consists of the hand-job-giver turned palm reader, a distraught housewife, and a possibly sociopathic teenage boy. Nothing but fun here. Twists, creepiness, messed up characters. Super entertaining! Check it out!
P.S. I'm sooo chomping at the bit for another Gillian Flynn novel!
January 9, 2016
1.5 A rather steep price is wanted for this short story. 9.99 for the book, 2.99 for kindle. Luckily I did not pay for it. The story was originally part of an anthology and possibly I would have liked it better there, surrounded by other writers and other stories. Or maybe not. Hand jobs to evil in a house, while at times amusing, did nothing for me as a whole. I wonder if Flynn's publisher advised her to put this out there, since she hasn't written a novel for a while? The reading public can be fickle, could she be forgotten in the rush of new authors, new books? Of course her name guarantees the ridiculous price. I know some have loved this and everyone is entitled to their own opinion. This just reflects mine. Since I didn't like it but didn't pay for it I don't feel ripped off, just taken advantage of.
January 2, 2016
4.5-5
This kept me guessing the entire time. I still don't know what to believe! Given that this book is just over sixty pages, I wasn't expecting a lot to be honest. I felt there was a complete story here though. I was pulled in and invested in what was happening to the characters. My only complaint is
Before reading:
When I first noticed a friend added something new by Gillian Flynn:
....then when I saw it was only 64 pages:
Of course I will read it, but I'm still hoping for another full length novel soon!
This kept me guessing the entire time. I still don't know what to believe! Given that this book is just over sixty pages, I wasn't expecting a lot to be honest. I felt there was a complete story here though. I was pulled in and invested in what was happening to the characters. My only complaint is
Before reading:
When I first noticed a friend added something new by Gillian Flynn:
....then when I saw it was only 64 pages:
Of course I will read it, but I'm still hoping for another full length novel soon!
September 4, 2017
The first few pages through me off a bit, but once you get to the house the story turns into a lot of fun. Only 64 pages, but worth it. I really enjoyed the ending which left you with a big question mark.
If you like Jillian Flynn go ahead and read it.
4 out of 5 stars.
If you like Jillian Flynn go ahead and read it.
4 out of 5 stars.
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