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Seesaw
A short story collection by number 1 bestseller, Rosen Trevithick.
Whose are those strange knickers at the foot of the bed? Is the kidnapped girl gone forever? How do you transport a dead dog across central London? What on earth is wrong with the man next door? And is he going to kill me?
So called because of its alternation between laugh out loud comedy and more sinister, psychological tales, 'Seesaw' showcases some of Rosen's most loved shorts, alongside some previously unpublished bite-sized tales.
Preface
The Other Daughter
There's Something Wrong With the Man Next Door
London, the Doggy and Me
Introducing Boris
On the Rocks
The Selfish Act
Is He Going To Kill Me?
Lipstick and Knickers
The Other Mother
Knitting Man at the Door
"A deeply moving and emotional read."
- D. Jones ("The Other Daughter").
"A very short story which made a very big impact, I actually found myself at one point holding my breath."
- A. Coburn ("The Other Daughter").
"Oh my goodness, what a laugh!"
- J. Allison ("Lipstick and Knickers").
"I wish I could give this more than 5 stars. Again, Trevithick has shown herself as a master of the short story."
- N. Blackburn ("The Selfish Act").
This is a book for adults.
~70,000 words
Whose are those strange knickers at the foot of the bed? Is the kidnapped girl gone forever? How do you transport a dead dog across central London? What on earth is wrong with the man next door? And is he going to kill me?
So called because of its alternation between laugh out loud comedy and more sinister, psychological tales, 'Seesaw' showcases some of Rosen's most loved shorts, alongside some previously unpublished bite-sized tales.
Preface
The Other Daughter
There's Something Wrong With the Man Next Door
London, the Doggy and Me
Introducing Boris
On the Rocks
The Selfish Act
Is He Going To Kill Me?
Lipstick and Knickers
The Other Mother
Knitting Man at the Door
"A deeply moving and emotional read."
- D. Jones ("The Other Daughter").
"A very short story which made a very big impact, I actually found myself at one point holding my breath."
- A. Coburn ("The Other Daughter").
"Oh my goodness, what a laugh!"
- J. Allison ("Lipstick and Knickers").
"I wish I could give this more than 5 stars. Again, Trevithick has shown herself as a master of the short story."
- N. Blackburn ("The Selfish Act").
This is a book for adults.
~70,000 words
- GenresShort StoriesFiction
ebook
First published July 2, 2011
15 people are currently reading
215 people want to read
About the author
Rosen Trevithick
32 books275 followersRosen is a British bestselling author, who writes fiction for children and adults.
She was born in Cornwall and grew up on Restronguet Creek. She studied Experimental Psychology at St Catherine's College, Oxford, before moving back to the West Country. She now lives on the south coast of Devon with two imaginary cats, fantasising about getting a real one.
In 2011 Rosen was an aspiring author. Writing was a hobby. The following January sales of her books on Kindle took off, and by October she has sold 27,000 copies and her total download count exceeds 220,000. She now has three books in print: Pompomberry House, Seesaw and The Troll Trap, as well as many digital titles.
Rosen writes in a variety of genres with a strong leaning towards comedy. She has also dabbled with psychological fiction and mystery writing.
She loves wild swimming, mountain biking, interesting boots, quiffs, 'sampling' chocolate and cooking tasty treats. She dislikes house spiders, doing laundry and people putting costumes on their cats.
She was born in Cornwall and grew up on Restronguet Creek. She studied Experimental Psychology at St Catherine's College, Oxford, before moving back to the West Country. She now lives on the south coast of Devon with two imaginary cats, fantasising about getting a real one.
In 2011 Rosen was an aspiring author. Writing was a hobby. The following January sales of her books on Kindle took off, and by October she has sold 27,000 copies and her total download count exceeds 220,000. She now has three books in print: Pompomberry House, Seesaw and The Troll Trap, as well as many digital titles.
Rosen writes in a variety of genres with a strong leaning towards comedy. She has also dabbled with psychological fiction and mystery writing.
She loves wild swimming, mountain biking, interesting boots, quiffs, 'sampling' chocolate and cooking tasty treats. She dislikes house spiders, doing laundry and people putting costumes on their cats.
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
January 7, 2021
An interesting and enjoyable collection of short stories - always good quality writing from this author - 8/10.
April 2, 2012
I started reading this anthology of short stories on a train journey to Leicester. It isn't very often I'm able to drown out the sound of screaming children on a train but these stories were so engrossing, I didn't hear a word. In fact, I couldn't wait for the return journey the next day so that I could finish this book.
Seesaw is an anthology of short stories that range from the psychological 'The Other Daughter' to the comic 'London, the Doggy and Me.' There is an eclectic mix of genres here, 'Lipstick and Knickers' shows the hilarious search as one man tries to find out who he has slept with the morning after the night before and there is tension and painful emotions with the stories, 'On the Rocks' and 'The Selfish Act.'
Each one of these stories is a little masterpiece. They are all gripping, well paced and the characterisation is superb. The quality of the writing is flawless and quite simply I was not able to put my Kindle down until I had reached the very end. This writer is a serious talent for the future and if a publisher doesn't snap her up soon, then I'll eat my hat.
Seesaw is an anthology of short stories that range from the psychological 'The Other Daughter' to the comic 'London, the Doggy and Me.' There is an eclectic mix of genres here, 'Lipstick and Knickers' shows the hilarious search as one man tries to find out who he has slept with the morning after the night before and there is tension and painful emotions with the stories, 'On the Rocks' and 'The Selfish Act.'
Each one of these stories is a little masterpiece. They are all gripping, well paced and the characterisation is superb. The quality of the writing is flawless and quite simply I was not able to put my Kindle down until I had reached the very end. This writer is a serious talent for the future and if a publisher doesn't snap her up soon, then I'll eat my hat.
September 18, 2013
A brilliant short story collection. Some laugh out loud funny and others more serious but all equally well written and entertaining. I would be happy to recommend it to anyone. I will be reading more of Rosen's work!
March 4, 2012
OK..the two greatest lines of the book:
"You're in your sixties, men don't grow on trees."(Boris) "They don't hang from them either!"(female character) "Why are you so hung up on the bat thing?" (Boris)~Sorry going any deeper would head into spoiler land!
"My breasts aren't stress balls!"~That pretty much sums up Rosen's fantastic sense of humor.
I must say that I had already read all of Rosen's work to date and this book contained a couple of more short stories that hadn't been published yet.
I would say if I was to give the book some criticisms that I wish, first off, the books would have been classified as to their genre, per se. For example,as above, Rosen writes some pretty hysterical, British sarcastic, humor stuff that I can just devour. On the flip-side of that, she has a breadth to her writing capabilities in which she can write some gut-wrenching fiction too. I almost felt that the stories were thrown together and not given the "respect" they deserved. Along with that, I would love to have seen a short description of the stories, so that readers would know which camp they fit into.
"You're in your sixties, men don't grow on trees."(Boris) "They don't hang from them either!"(female character) "Why are you so hung up on the bat thing?" (Boris)~Sorry going any deeper would head into spoiler land!
"My breasts aren't stress balls!"~That pretty much sums up Rosen's fantastic sense of humor.
I must say that I had already read all of Rosen's work to date and this book contained a couple of more short stories that hadn't been published yet.
I would say if I was to give the book some criticisms that I wish, first off, the books would have been classified as to their genre, per se. For example,as above, Rosen writes some pretty hysterical, British sarcastic, humor stuff that I can just devour. On the flip-side of that, she has a breadth to her writing capabilities in which she can write some gut-wrenching fiction too. I almost felt that the stories were thrown together and not given the "respect" they deserved. Along with that, I would love to have seen a short description of the stories, so that readers would know which camp they fit into.
September 8, 2012
'Seesaw' is an exceptionally strong compilation of short stories. Rosen Trevithick has a true talent for writing both comically and dramatically and these tales show off this gift well.
The first story 'The Other Daughter' is probably my favourite as the author seems to nail the agonising emotions involved in the loss of a child. It is a heartbreaking tale. Mental health features strongly in several of the stories and the author's knowledge and grasp (and experience, we learn from the preface) of the conditions is expertly interwoven with the plots. Some stories are light and comical and veer close to what I imagine 'chick-lit' writing to be like, but they do not alienate the male reader.
I read the book in several sittings. I was entertained throughout, and several stories drained me with their emotional impact. The ups and downs are indeed captured in this collection and I can thoroughly recommend it.
The first story 'The Other Daughter' is probably my favourite as the author seems to nail the agonising emotions involved in the loss of a child. It is a heartbreaking tale. Mental health features strongly in several of the stories and the author's knowledge and grasp (and experience, we learn from the preface) of the conditions is expertly interwoven with the plots. Some stories are light and comical and veer close to what I imagine 'chick-lit' writing to be like, but they do not alienate the male reader.
I read the book in several sittings. I was entertained throughout, and several stories drained me with their emotional impact. The ups and downs are indeed captured in this collection and I can thoroughly recommend it.
August 7, 2012
Collection of short stories, many of which having to do with bipolar disorer/living with the disorder. Quite enjoyable!
August 23, 2012
For a collection of short stories this was outstanding. Each one drawing you in from the start. Another find on the Kindle - cheap and definitely worth every penny.
December 10, 2013
This book is brilliant. Its funny, its through provoking and generally a brilliant read. Really recommend it to anyone!
July 19, 2017
This first collection of short stories by Rosen Trevithick is very readable. Containing both longer and shorter stories it has something for everyone and for every time slot. Whether a reader is looking for: a quick lunchtime read; something to while away a tedious journey; a distraction while awaiting a medical or dental appointment; etc., they are likely to find something to suit within this anthology.
Complete review may be read at: https://trrobinsonpublications.com/20...
Complete review may be read at: https://trrobinsonpublications.com/20...
July 2, 2014
Seesaw: by Rosen Trevithick
Overall review. This is a collection of short stories about a variety of topics, and leaving the reader in a mixture of emotions after reading them- thus I presume, the reason for the apt title. The stories are well writing, emotive, and a great example to other authors. Without giving too much away, I have tried to break the individual stories down, though I fear I will not do them all justice:
The Other Daughter: A truly inspiring piece of literature which looks into the emotional turmoil left behind by the loss of a missing child. A heart-breaking story that delves into the lack of closure and how different people deal with it. It reminded me of the Maddie McCann. The story haunted me for days after.
There’s Something Wrong with the Man Next Door: This is an amusing anecdote, and the perfect balance to follow on after the previous one. It deals with a middle aged widow’s crush for the new and mysterious neighbour. The book is aptly named as Seesaw, for it is filled with a whole heap of emotions which keep the reader rocking back and forth.
London, the Doggy and Me: This is a comical tale of a girl from a small seaside village who seeks a better life in the big city. Hoping to follow her dreams and break into acting, she sets off for London with high hopes. At first, she thinks that she has fallen on her feet when she is asked to housesit. Free accommodation is hard to find in the big city. The she finds out that she must also look after the owners beloved pooch. An excellent story that will kept me entertained.
Introducing Boris: A writer looks at two strangers and considers them for parts in a story she has yet to write. Another insightful story dealing with first impressions, body language, and human emotions. An excellent story with an unexpected sting in the tail.
On the Rocks: A moving and emotional look at a young bi-polar girl’s life. I feel that the author has poured her heart and soul into this and the next story.
The Selfish Act: A tragic tale about a girl suffering from mental illness and an insightful look into the rationale behind her eventual suicide. Brilliantly written.
Is He Going to Kill Me?: A glimpse at the terrifying act of kidnapping and the victim’s fears of the unknown. Why were they taken? What is going to happen? The story had a sad but humorous twist.
Lipstick and Knickers: An amusing anecdote about loyalty and guilt and the consequences of an excess of alcohol. The main character believes that he has been unfaithful to the love of his life after waking up the next morning to find evidence of his infidelity within his apartment. Desperate to find out who he slept with, he begins a long and hilarious whodunit working on the premise that it is one thing to be stupid enough to be unfaithful. It is even worse if you can’t remember who it was with. Time is against him. The longer it takes him to find his mysterious partner, the more chance his girlfriend will find out from somebody else. He needs to own up and face the consequences of his actions, but he is desperate to do so while presenting the full facts to her. As the clock ticks away, his search becomes more and more desperate.
The Other Mother: This is a follow on story from The Other Daughter and equally as good a tale as the previous one.
Knitting Man at the Door: This is a short story looking into fantasy and reality-checks.
Overall review. This is a collection of short stories about a variety of topics, and leaving the reader in a mixture of emotions after reading them- thus I presume, the reason for the apt title. The stories are well writing, emotive, and a great example to other authors. Without giving too much away, I have tried to break the individual stories down, though I fear I will not do them all justice:
The Other Daughter: A truly inspiring piece of literature which looks into the emotional turmoil left behind by the loss of a missing child. A heart-breaking story that delves into the lack of closure and how different people deal with it. It reminded me of the Maddie McCann. The story haunted me for days after.
There’s Something Wrong with the Man Next Door: This is an amusing anecdote, and the perfect balance to follow on after the previous one. It deals with a middle aged widow’s crush for the new and mysterious neighbour. The book is aptly named as Seesaw, for it is filled with a whole heap of emotions which keep the reader rocking back and forth.
London, the Doggy and Me: This is a comical tale of a girl from a small seaside village who seeks a better life in the big city. Hoping to follow her dreams and break into acting, she sets off for London with high hopes. At first, she thinks that she has fallen on her feet when she is asked to housesit. Free accommodation is hard to find in the big city. The she finds out that she must also look after the owners beloved pooch. An excellent story that will kept me entertained.
Introducing Boris: A writer looks at two strangers and considers them for parts in a story she has yet to write. Another insightful story dealing with first impressions, body language, and human emotions. An excellent story with an unexpected sting in the tail.
On the Rocks: A moving and emotional look at a young bi-polar girl’s life. I feel that the author has poured her heart and soul into this and the next story.
The Selfish Act: A tragic tale about a girl suffering from mental illness and an insightful look into the rationale behind her eventual suicide. Brilliantly written.
Is He Going to Kill Me?: A glimpse at the terrifying act of kidnapping and the victim’s fears of the unknown. Why were they taken? What is going to happen? The story had a sad but humorous twist.
Lipstick and Knickers: An amusing anecdote about loyalty and guilt and the consequences of an excess of alcohol. The main character believes that he has been unfaithful to the love of his life after waking up the next morning to find evidence of his infidelity within his apartment. Desperate to find out who he slept with, he begins a long and hilarious whodunit working on the premise that it is one thing to be stupid enough to be unfaithful. It is even worse if you can’t remember who it was with. Time is against him. The longer it takes him to find his mysterious partner, the more chance his girlfriend will find out from somebody else. He needs to own up and face the consequences of his actions, but he is desperate to do so while presenting the full facts to her. As the clock ticks away, his search becomes more and more desperate.
The Other Mother: This is a follow on story from The Other Daughter and equally as good a tale as the previous one.
Knitting Man at the Door: This is a short story looking into fantasy and reality-checks.
October 20, 2013
I've read a few stories from this author and as I've recently picked up her latest collection I thought it best to read the first collection before reading the new one. I've heard it said that an author's first work is to a varying extent autobiographical. I don't know if that's the case here, but some of the stories do have that feel to them. That isn't a critisism by any means, although compared to her later writing some of these stories do have a raw feel to them. In some ways that has more impact on the reader than the technical ability to string words together in a pleasing fashion.
The previous work of hers that I've read have been comedies, in this collection there is still a lot of humour, but in a less overt manner. It is a situation, almost self deprecating humour that pervades through the stories. Although there is a great deal of humour this isn't a work of comedy, many of the stories take you to various dark places in your mind.
In both situations the author excels, her writing is immediate and you feel what the charcters feel. There's some lovely twists along the way and each story brings something new to the collection.
As I've already mentioned this isn't a slick as her later work that I've read and I enjoy that with reading. It's fascinating to see how an author's skill develops over time and through tackling new subjects. I don't mention this as a critisism, more as a warning to those who (like me) have only read the more recent books. The same Rosen Trevithick trademark is still there in spades, but it's not as accomplished as the more recent writing. Don't let that put you off though, this is an engaging and emotive collection of stories, so much so that I've immediately started the new collection.
The previous work of hers that I've read have been comedies, in this collection there is still a lot of humour, but in a less overt manner. It is a situation, almost self deprecating humour that pervades through the stories. Although there is a great deal of humour this isn't a work of comedy, many of the stories take you to various dark places in your mind.
In both situations the author excels, her writing is immediate and you feel what the charcters feel. There's some lovely twists along the way and each story brings something new to the collection.
As I've already mentioned this isn't a slick as her later work that I've read and I enjoy that with reading. It's fascinating to see how an author's skill develops over time and through tackling new subjects. I don't mention this as a critisism, more as a warning to those who (like me) have only read the more recent books. The same Rosen Trevithick trademark is still there in spades, but it's not as accomplished as the more recent writing. Don't let that put you off though, this is an engaging and emotive collection of stories, so much so that I've immediately started the new collection.
April 17, 2012
I have read some of Rosen's work before and have really enjoyed it so was looking forward to giving this a go. I was not disappointed.
The book has a foreword from the author explaining her reasons for writing and her own battles and I really thought that this gave an extra dimension to the book to know that the stories were so close to the authors heart.
This book is a collection of short stories and contains a real mixture of very funny stories and some really serious and emotional pieces. Rosen does both funny and serious just as well as each other and I wish her every luck with her career, I'm sure she will be very successful.
My favourite stories from this collection were There's Something Wrong With the Man Nextdoor as it was hilarious and The Selfish Act as it was thought provoking and could be well used to bring more attention to mental health illnesses in the UK and how they can make sufferers feel.
Rosen's style of writing reminds me of my own and I can also see myself in many of her characters. I would recommend this versatile and talented writer and all styles of her work.
The book has a foreword from the author explaining her reasons for writing and her own battles and I really thought that this gave an extra dimension to the book to know that the stories were so close to the authors heart.
This book is a collection of short stories and contains a real mixture of very funny stories and some really serious and emotional pieces. Rosen does both funny and serious just as well as each other and I wish her every luck with her career, I'm sure she will be very successful.
My favourite stories from this collection were There's Something Wrong With the Man Nextdoor as it was hilarious and The Selfish Act as it was thought provoking and could be well used to bring more attention to mental health illnesses in the UK and how they can make sufferers feel.
Rosen's style of writing reminds me of my own and I can also see myself in many of her characters. I would recommend this versatile and talented writer and all styles of her work.
May 19, 2012
I've mentioned in reviews before about Rosen being able to write across genres and this collection of short stories and flash fiction reinforces that belief.
Some of these stories have been published on their own and are readable in their own right, but unlike another reviewer, I thought this collection went well together. Just like the title says, this is a seesaw ride. The ups are oh so funny, the downs are quite heartbreaking. I am not ashamed to say I was in tears more than once. The last story (not flash fiction) just blew me away when I got to it.
This is definitely the best collection of stories I've read in a long while and I'm sure I will read them again.
UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES READ THIS IN PUBLIC (you will cry, I guarantee it)
Some of these stories have been published on their own and are readable in their own right, but unlike another reviewer, I thought this collection went well together. Just like the title says, this is a seesaw ride. The ups are oh so funny, the downs are quite heartbreaking. I am not ashamed to say I was in tears more than once. The last story (not flash fiction) just blew me away when I got to it.
This is definitely the best collection of stories I've read in a long while and I'm sure I will read them again.
UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES READ THIS IN PUBLIC (you will cry, I guarantee it)
December 1, 2015
I picked this up as I was in the mood for some short stories, just the introduction made me realise what an inspirational woman Rosen is.
I really enjoyed the mix of stories in this collection, some made me laugh, some made me cry, some very thought provoking. I applaud Rosen for being brave enough to tackle subjects such as mental health and suicide.
I also liked the link between two of the stories in the collection, and I’d love to see a standalone book about what happens next for them.
I really enjoyed the mix of stories in this collection, some made me laugh, some made me cry, some very thought provoking. I applaud Rosen for being brave enough to tackle subjects such as mental health and suicide.
I also liked the link between two of the stories in the collection, and I’d love to see a standalone book about what happens next for them.
February 20, 2019
I think this book did not appeal to me, not because of the writing or the stories, but more because I now do not think I am a short story type of person. I need more depth. Some interesting and unusual stories, I particularly liked the two interlinked stories about a kidnapping.
August 8, 2022
Unfortunately I did not connect with this collection of short stories which with perseverance I did complete. I found it varied from slight amusement to silly. Other reviewers enjoyed it and rated it higher so it could be another readers choice.
February 29, 2012
I wrote the book!
(That's me on the cover.)
(That's me on the cover.)
April 2, 2013
I enjoyed this collection of stories quite a bit, but I'm a big fan of memoirs.
July 25, 2013
I did enjoy this despite not being a huge fan of short stories. There were a couple that I wasn't so keen on.
October 7, 2016
A good collection of short stories that were engaging and well-written.
Each story takes you to a different place, with believable characters and intriguing concepts.
Certainly worth a look.
Each story takes you to a different place, with believable characters and intriguing concepts.
Certainly worth a look.
March 28, 2020
The stories are so engaging! Loved them all. I enjoyed how easy it was to get to know the characters even when they were presented in a short story. An excellent read!
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews