Clean Freak

by Sean M. Davis

Often the subject of ridicule, Clarence struggles desperately for acceptance among his peers and co-workers, only to be hazed and shamed by their cruelty. Unable to find his place in society, a dejected Clarence feels that all hope is lost until one night he hears a girl crying from the strangest of places. Will his newfound friend prove to be his salvation? Or will the shadow lurking behind her seal Clarance's damnation?

303 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 3, 2013

Reviews

[Eric Guignard · Rating 5 out of 5]

REVIEWED: Clean Freak
WRITTEN BY: Sean M. Davis
PUBLISHED: August, 2013

‘Clean Freak’ is the first novel written by author Sean M. Davis, and it’s certainly a freshman triumph. The main character, Clarence, suffers from OCD germ avoidance. Naturally his occupation is as a janitor, and he takes his job seriously. At first, the in-depth description of Clarence cleaning door handles and desk surfaces seemed to be a bit over-indulgent, but that sense quickly gave way to a dark humor mirroring the character’s actions and thoughts, which led to more than one out-loud chuckle; in the most unseemly moment of suspense or danger or development, Clarence’s thoughts invariably turn to fears of some strange germ or illness developing from said event. The protagonist’s back story slowly comes through, so his actions and motivations begin to make more sense. I never quite understood the reason why his fellow janitors obsess in their own way to include Clarence in their games, nor did I relate entirely to the boss who seemed to waffle one way then the other, making contradictory decisions. But all that didn’t matter so much, as the grabber of the story is the dream-like little girl, Lucy, whom he befriends when her voice begins to speak to him from the bathtub drain. Who she is and what she represents offer Clarence’s most meaningful obsession.

Four and a half out of Five stars

[Kyle Mcfarland · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sean excels at creating and developing unique and unconventional characters. The story tugs harder and harder at your curiosity and the pace of the story follows the same trend. Plot driven moments within the story keep the reader off kilter and uneasy and can even feel jarring, which is what you want from this kind of story. As a whole, the story was more existential than I was anticipating and dives deep into human behavior, rather than strictly pursuing a nefarious plot.

Clean Freak is a good read that has the potential to leave you with a new perspective and questions about mental health.

[Peggy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn't know what to expect from this book as it's Sean's first novel. Once I started it, though, the next thing I knew I was on the third chapter. I'm a rather slow reader but it only took me 2 sittings to get through this. Not because it's a short book or large print - it was simply that engaging. The main character, Clarence, is an OCD germaphobe. Not in the sense of what we believe to be a typical sufferer. He's not worried about catching some foreign organism from other people. He's afraid of giving HIS germs to everyone else. So as you read, whether or not you believe his disorder is real or imagined, you WANT Clarence to be hyper vigilant. The reader is sucked into his world and you begin to understand how he can develop a relationship with the little girl in his bathtub drain instead of those in his every day life.

The characters in his life are less interesting. I didn't really feel any connection to them but if they weren't there to help influence Clarence's choices and direction, the story would have fallen flat. But I have to say the little girl, Lucy, and her mother, Victoria, add an extra layer that I wasn't expecting. Sean surprised me with both of them as well as the turn Clarence took in life. The ending was inevitable but while some might find it disturbing, I breathed easier for Clarence.

Great story, well executed, highly recommended. I hope I get the chance to read more from Sean in the future.