A review by dalmavatai
The Grownup by Gillian Flynn

adventurous dark funny mysterious tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

This one was a great short thriller. In classic Gillian Flynn fashion, there was some witty social commentary which was all the more enjoyable because we get it from the perspective of this cynical woman who works as a psychic/soft-core sex worker. We explored the class and gender dimensions of her life, especially her experience as a woman giving men handjobs, and it was super interesting to hear her commentary on the kinds of men that routinely pay for handjobs.

The mystery involving Susan Burke was very engaging and gripping, I liked the haunted house and creepy-stepson elements a lot. I really enjoyed the first big reveal, I kind of wish we had left it at that instead of making it an ambiguous ending, which is something that I usually don't enjoy, but that's just a personal preference. I haven't actually read anything from Gillian Flynn even though I've seen Gone Girl and Sharp Objects, but now I'm tempted to pick up Gone Girl because I've heard the book is really good even if you already know the twist. Highly recommend this one!
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