7.11k reviews for:

The Grownup

Gillian Flynn

3.55 AVERAGE

itsbiasbujo's review against another edition

3.5

mysterious fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Plot

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

frankie_stetz's review against another edition

3.5

dark tense fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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• quick read, I like the ambiguity of the truth and the untrustworthiness of all the characters 

kealeygriffiths's review against another edition

3.0

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3.5⭐️

goodguyeli's review against another edition

3.0

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3.5 stars

Very solid short story! I hadn't read Gillian Flynn before reading this, and I think it was a very good introduction to her writing. I'll definitely read her other work.

This story flowed rather well, especially for a short story. It was really vulgar at parts, but I don't mind that.

Pretty well-developed, extremely twisted characters for a sixty-page story. Great dark humor and some rather chilling sections.

THE TWIST. I didn't see the first twist coming, but the second one felt inevitable. Honestly, to me, it felt like there were three twists.

Spoiler

First twist was when Miles claimed Susan was the crazy one. Second twist was when Miles actually was still crazy, and we're not sure about Susan. Third twist was when our MC (did they even name her?) actually ended up going along with it. I knew Miles was still super sketch, so that didn't shock me. I guess the MC going along with it all wasn't that far-fetched since she had no other options.

Overall, great story! The ending did feel a little rushed, but it was still fine.

clo_gzmn's review against another edition

3.0

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Gillian Flynn’s The Grownup is a twisted, eerie novella that showcases her ability to create tension and suspense in a short space of time. The story centers on a scam artist who finds herself tangled in a creepy, potentially haunted house situation. The setup is solid, with all the dark, psychological elements Flynn fans love.

However, the story falls short of its potential. It starts strong but quickly wraps up, leaving too many unanswered questions and a feeling of incompleteness. The characters are interesting but don’t have enough space to fully develop, and the ending, while surprising, feels a bit rushed and lacking in impact.

For a quick, unsettling read, The Grownup delivers—but it doesn’t have the depth or punch of Flynn’s other works.

nox4024's review against another edition

4.0

dark mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Plot

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

jaide_monroe's review against another edition

4.0

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Absolutely brilliant. I went in blind and wasn’t disappointed.

kashfi666's review against another edition

2.5

fast-paced

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for starting to reading books its a good choice, Though not a good story

savvylit's review against another edition

3.0

dark mysterious fast-paced

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I don't know how to feel about this short story. It's written in the very page-turning and blunt manner of Gillian Flynn that I love so much. But it just didn't do enough for me. I think there's a reason that Flynn is better known for her full-length novels versus her short stories.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Murder, Gaslighting

ruthorfiction's review against another edition

3.0

mysterious tense fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes