Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.55 AVERAGE
3.55 AVERAGE
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This was obviously a very short, very quick, read. Gillian Flynn is one of my favorite authors. Her books are always dark and twisted and her characters are always insane. Her books are not for those easily offended by language or theme, but if you aren't, prepare to thoroughly enjoy yourself.
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
I LOVE GILLIAN FLYNN. This novella is gripping and creepy and thought provoking and everything I would expect from Flynn. I finished this in an hour and wanted to reread it just to see if I missed any tidbits Flynn tends to embed throughout. Of course she leaves you with so many questions and a little bit of a cliffhanger. If you liked Gone Girl or Dark Places , you must pick this up!
((More like 3.5 stars))
“The women who came in groups, they were frivolous, fancy, boozy, ready to have fun. The ones who came alone, though, they wanted to believe. They were desperate, and they didn’t have good enough insurance for a therapist. Or they didn’t know they were desperate enough to need a therapist. It was hard to feel sorry for them. I tried to because you don’t want your mystic, the keeper of your future, to roll her eyes at you. But I mean, come on. Big house in the city, husbands who didn’t beat them and helped with the kids, sometimes with careers but always with book clubs. And still they felt sad. That’s what they always ended up saying: “But I’m just sad.” 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.”
Gillian Flynn’s "The Grownup" is a compact & twisted tale that really grabbed me with its mix of psychological manipulation, creepiness, and dark humor. The story follows a smart and perceptive narrator who shifts from sex work to conning clients with fake psychic services. Her already unconventional life takes a bizarre turn when she agrees to help Susan Burke, a client dealing with a possibly haunted house and a troubling stepson.
Flynn does an excellent job of creating a gripping and eerie atmosphere, especially in the middle of the story. This part delves into psychological and possibly supernatural horror, and I found myself really engrossed. The characters are well-developed, particularly the protagonist. Her cynical and provocative voice kept me engaged, and her observations on people and society added a nice touch of dark comedy.
However, the story loses a bit of steam in the final act. The twists and turns come so quickly that it becomes a bit overwhelming, and the ambiguous ending left me feeling somewhat unsatisfied. While some people might appreciate the open-endedness and the chance to interpret the story for themselves, I felt it undermined the narrative's impact.
Overall, "The Grownup" showcases Flynn’s talent for writing complex characters and chilling stories, despite the controversial ending. The short format highlights her ability to craft a layered narrative quickly, but it also left me wanting more. It’s a quick, intriguing read, even if it doesn’t quite deliver a satisfying conclusion.
“The women who came in groups, they were frivolous, fancy, boozy, ready to have fun. The ones who came alone, though, they wanted to believe. They were desperate, and they didn’t have good enough insurance for a therapist. Or they didn’t know they were desperate enough to need a therapist. It was hard to feel sorry for them. I tried to because you don’t want your mystic, the keeper of your future, to roll her eyes at you. But I mean, come on. Big house in the city, husbands who didn’t beat them and helped with the kids, sometimes with careers but always with book clubs. And still they felt sad. That’s what they always ended up saying: “But I’m just sad.” 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.”
Gillian Flynn’s "The Grownup" is a compact & twisted tale that really grabbed me with its mix of psychological manipulation, creepiness, and dark humor. The story follows a smart and perceptive narrator who shifts from sex work to conning clients with fake psychic services. Her already unconventional life takes a bizarre turn when she agrees to help Susan Burke, a client dealing with a possibly haunted house and a troubling stepson.
Flynn does an excellent job of creating a gripping and eerie atmosphere, especially in the middle of the story. This part delves into psychological and possibly supernatural horror, and I found myself really engrossed. The characters are well-developed, particularly the protagonist. Her cynical and provocative voice kept me engaged, and her observations on people and society added a nice touch of dark comedy.
However, the story loses a bit of steam in the final act. The twists and turns come so quickly that it becomes a bit overwhelming, and the ambiguous ending left me feeling somewhat unsatisfied. While some people might appreciate the open-endedness and the chance to interpret the story for themselves, I felt it undermined the narrative's impact.
Overall, "The Grownup" showcases Flynn’s talent for writing complex characters and chilling stories, despite the controversial ending. The short format highlights her ability to craft a layered narrative quickly, but it also left me wanting more. It’s a quick, intriguing read, even if it doesn’t quite deliver a satisfying conclusion.
Wow. Just about an hour of amazing, twisty awesomeness.
adventurous
dark
mysterious
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
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
Good build-up, and Flynn’s prose is as sharp and engaging as ever, but it ultimately amounts to a rushed ending that topples over the weight of its own twists.
Read this on my phone. Super quick short story that I read because I need to speed read some short easy books to get to my 2020 reading goal. I love and have missed Gillian Flynn. Kept me in suspense, had to finish.
For a short story, this book was packed with plot twists and still managed to leave you guessing at the end.