Collectors

by Paul Griner

At a wedding for a childhood friend, young-professional Jean Duprez, strong, self-confident but with a dark past, meets the magnetic, charming and aloof Steven Cain. The two begin an intense, obsessive affair. After an enticing afternoon on Steven's sailboat, Steven shuts a car door on Jean's hand. Intentionally? Unsure, and unable to resist Steven's charms, Jean remains fascinated. As the novel spirals to its final, shocking conclusion, we can only watch with horror and curiosity as Jean becomes ensared in Steven's sinister designs.

Genres: Fiction, Literature

192 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1999

Reviews

[Kilean · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a short, creepy novel but very affecting. And memorable.

[Natalie · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was a short, quick read luckily because it did not have much going for it. None of it made sense and it just did not have realistic character development. A lot was missing. You learned a few things about the main character, but nothing that connected anything together. Just a dry story of a girl with an unrealistic ending after she meets up with a man for a second date.

[Ehlgee · Rating 2 out of 5]

I thought for once the anticipated "rope" had something to do with Jean. It was an absorbed novel it creeped you out reading and would only left your head shaking almost through end the book. Seriously, it was so unfair to the readers if you, as an author, was narrating on a third POV but only giving story development on Jean, and not with Steven... oh god, it shitted me out. I can't forsake myself; I were too much anticipating what could have happen to Jean, because seriously, I feel like this book is psychotic. How could the male protagonist bombed off mixed signals to Jean and this Jean was such professional junk calligraphist like how could she make herself settle to someone like Steven who can't even decide in the first place (and you want a plot twist? even at the denouement, he was a total douchebag) so yeah, that how it was.

It was supposed to be a thrilling book, but it ended up making me hot under the collar.
I am crediting two stars because I'd love the idea calligraphy. The idea of collections of pen of Jean, and binoculars and stuff of Steven. What a good thing on planet earth to collect such classic stuff in the world. It was so good. Regrets because the plot was a good idea, the yacht and all, but it lacked of script. Idk if that is a thing to Paul Griner, but I don't seriously buy it sorry to that. It took almost one chapter to narrate one scene which I wasn't sure needed.

Though I should say it was a book gripping since I was really fucking dead curious on where it would lead me. I'm giving an extra star to credit for the curiousity it sent through my spine, congrats griner. Not all authors has the capability of that, mehhh.

So yeah, I could recommend this to anyone who is after of thorough mystery while creeping you out. I wouldn't say it was a waste of time because I know I somehow enjoyed the personality of the characters. It was a deep mystery, after all.

[Jay T. · Rating 2 out of 5]

Collectors by Paul Griner

A bunch of nots in this just ok book. It is not a great book, just ok, it is not a thinker, but very predictable with an obvious ending, it is not going to be a book I will reread but one none the less I did not regret reading. Griner’s novel is a short one with random odd writing segments through out, at least to me. I would not say parts are choppy, maybe jumpy is better. I found myself having to reread parts to try to figure out what the previous sentence was about only to read later why that sentence was written so.
This being said Collectors is a story about two collectors. One a female who has a darker past and collects fountain pens. The other is a male, with questionable intentions who collects binoculars, but also so much more than binoculars. These two meet at a mutual friends wedding where Jean becomes intrigued with Steven. With a first date ending with a “accidental” hand in door slam Jean finds her fingers broken on one hand and a decision needing to be made weather or not to continue with her growing obsession with Steven.
There is not a great deal to write about in this review because there is just not a lot to the book.

[Jason · Rating 3 out of 5]

Closer to 4 stars than just 3. I was very intrigued by this book, the intense character study of almost all of it's short 170-some pages. There is so much in here in both what is said and what isn't, as well as a general mood of something impending..but you're never sure what. And without being a spoiler - that's about enough said. Quick, interesting, creepy and enjoyable read about humans (or at least the main character) and human nature. Glad I found it.

[Charlotte · Rating 3 out of 5]

I notice the primary adjective used in other reviews to describe this book is "creepy," and that is correct. It's an interesting character study, except it's so short--I wanted to be more invested in Jean's well being, and I'm not sure if I would have been if the novel were longer, or she would have become even more unlikeable. I suppose in the end the events came about because Jean felt in some way that she deserved to be in that position? Or maybe it's even more complex than that.

[Erin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very tool novel, but I didn't really understand the ending. About a woman who begins to date this very intriguing man, but ends with her relizing too late that he is going to kill her. Fast, fun read.

[Dee · Rating 3 out of 5]

creeeepy.

[Linda Hayashi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Appreciated the connoisseurship of collectibles. Was Jean as mundane as the pens? Acquired this based on the book blurb from Daedalus. Admire their choices.

[Deb (Readerbuzz) Nance · Rating 2 out of 5]

She collects fountain pens. He collects binoculars. A fire. Childhood games with a favorite cousin. A perfect date concluded with her hand in the car door. Creepy.

[Lee Heffner · Rating 3 out of 5]

Crisp, clean sentence structure. Plot revolves around a women who commits suicide by dating.

[Sadie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wowwwww I remember reading this awhile back and loving it. So happy that I found it again, it really was amazing and a bit shocking at the same time :)

[Rhan.K · Rating 2 out of 5]

Goed idee, slechte uitvoering

[Laura · Rating 2 out of 5]

Weird book. Short and well written but confusing. Not satisfying.