The Grownupby Gillian Flynn
Hardcover, 64 pages
Crown, November 3, 2015
4 stars
An unnamed young woman reading auras at Spiritual Palms is approached by a anxious woman, Susan, asking for her help in clearing evil spirits from her home. Seeing this as an opportunity for some extra income, she agrees to help. After arriving at the eerie Victorian home, she realizes she might be in over her head. After the appearance of a possibly disturbed stepson and strange occurrences that can't be easily explained, she begins to question what's real and what is all in her head.
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"People are dumb. I'll never get over how dumb people are."
The unnamed main character in Flynn's short story is exactly the kind of character you'd expect from the writer of Gone Girl and Dark Places. Having been forced to panhandle on the streets as a young child, the protagonist eventually finds herself answering an ad for a "receptionist" that turns out to be a position as a sex worker in a shady spiritualist shop. After an on-the-job injury she is promoted to "aura reader" while continuing to service some of her regulars. She's like many of Flynn's female protagonists - intelligent, from a less-than-ideal childhood, and, in this case, a con-artist. Even though there wasn't a lot of room for background given the short story format there was a surprising amount of character development. I wish she could be featured in a longer story...I have the feeling her life would make for an interesting read.
While in her new position, a customer, Susan, offers her an opportunity to make some extra money "cleansing" her home. Our main character jumps at the chance, despite having no experience and not actually being psychic. Slamming doors, blood stains on the wall appearing out of nowhere, and strange smells convince her that she's in over her head. With an absentee father, the uneasy relationship between Susan and her stepson Miles comes to the forefront, and our protagonist questions how much of Susan's story is true and how much is the result of a step-family struggling to adjust to their new circumstances.
In the end the story takes a few unexpected twists and turns until finally plopping the reader down in the midst of an unresolved ending, which has gained Flynn criticism from readers looking for a tidy resolution. The ending leaves the reader unsettled, conflicted, and perhaps even a bit frustrated. Some called it a cop-out. I call it the perfect kind of ending. Who wants a melodramatic villain unmasking when you can have an ending that leaves you awake at night, wondering...?
