What do you think?
Rate this book
Eddies
Hear why The New York Times Book Review called Cander “a smart, deft storyteller”.
Eloise hasn't quite figured out how to move on after the death of her son, Eddie. She makes good money, buys a new apartment, learns the piano, engages in an office flirtation, but nothing seems to brighten her days quite like the occasional letter from one of her accounting clients, Ed B. When, after months of correspondence, Ed invites Eloise to his country home for a visit, she finds herself overwhelmed by the "Eddies" of her life - the one she lost, the one she writes to, and the one she's eternally searching for.
"A powerful storyteller." (Lone Star Literary)
Eloise hasn't quite figured out how to move on after the death of her son, Eddie. She makes good money, buys a new apartment, learns the piano, engages in an office flirtation, but nothing seems to brighten her days quite like the occasional letter from one of her accounting clients, Ed B. When, after months of correspondence, Ed invites Eloise to his country home for a visit, she finds herself overwhelmed by the "Eddies" of her life - the one she lost, the one she writes to, and the one she's eternally searching for.
"A powerful storyteller." (Lone Star Literary)
Audible Audio
Published November 5, 2020
3 people are currently reading
19 people want to read
About the author
Chris Cander
12 books268 followersChris Cander is the author of the novels THE YOUNG OF OTHER ANIMALS, A GRACIOUS NEIGHBOR, THE WEIGHT OF A PIANO, WHISPER HOLLOW, and 11 STORIES, and the grade K-5 picture book THE WORD BURGLAR. Visit www.chriscander.com for more info.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
February 1, 2024
Story 3 stars**
Audio 4 stars**
Narrator Graba Zackman
Audio 4 stars**
Narrator Graba Zackman
July 17, 2024
A short, sad story about reaching out to others in an attempt to make a meaningful relationship. If nothing else, a good lesson that we should not wait too long.
November 19, 2020
Clever and surprisingly touching
January 11, 2022
At the point of finishing Chris Cander's Eddies, my inclination was to say that I never really cared for the character Eloise and that I don't ever want to encounter a character like her ever again.
Then, I asked myself 'Why?'
---
Eddies is a short story where not much seems to be going on, or even going right, in the day-to-day life of Eloise, a woman who has lost a child to a violent accident.
Upon entry to this story, we find our main character actively grieving and revisiting her past traumas-childhood and contemporary, while navigating womanhood as a single working professional. To top it all off, our Eloise often free falls into self-loathing at any given moment.
To say that Eloise is complex would be an understatement.
---
Eddies features losses of various kinds. From the immediate familial loss to a self-imposed uprooting borne out of flesh-crawling embarrassment, Eloise embodies the inner turmoil of emotional stagnation that can come with soul-deep grief.
Another subtle characteristic of our multi-dimensional Eloise is her desire for acceptance via the male gaze, painting a portrait of a woman not yet actualized.
The character's self-loathing and doubt are oppressive and quite uncomfortable to listen to, but it is that very real-feeling inner conflict between what's true about the self and what is presented to others that is the true mark of a memorable character; one that sticks with you, even if you don't want them to.
As for the polarizing end of the piece, where we see a shift between Eloise's loss of familial love and the potential to gain romantic love, her literal stumble and fall at the close of the story is poetic. Will our Eloise continue to cling to the past or move in the direction of closure and renewal?
---
Admittedly, I am not a fan of sad stories. I have found an exception in Eddies, an understated contemporary woman's hymn written by Chris Cander. I will listen to this one a third and fourth time.
Then, I asked myself 'Why?'
---
Eddies is a short story where not much seems to be going on, or even going right, in the day-to-day life of Eloise, a woman who has lost a child to a violent accident.
Upon entry to this story, we find our main character actively grieving and revisiting her past traumas-childhood and contemporary, while navigating womanhood as a single working professional. To top it all off, our Eloise often free falls into self-loathing at any given moment.
To say that Eloise is complex would be an understatement.
---
Eddies features losses of various kinds. From the immediate familial loss to a self-imposed uprooting borne out of flesh-crawling embarrassment, Eloise embodies the inner turmoil of emotional stagnation that can come with soul-deep grief.
Another subtle characteristic of our multi-dimensional Eloise is her desire for acceptance via the male gaze, painting a portrait of a woman not yet actualized.
The character's self-loathing and doubt are oppressive and quite uncomfortable to listen to, but it is that very real-feeling inner conflict between what's true about the self and what is presented to others that is the true mark of a memorable character; one that sticks with you, even if you don't want them to.
As for the polarizing end of the piece, where we see a shift between Eloise's loss of familial love and the potential to gain romantic love, her literal stumble and fall at the close of the story is poetic. Will our Eloise continue to cling to the past or move in the direction of closure and renewal?
---
Admittedly, I am not a fan of sad stories. I have found an exception in Eddies, an understated contemporary woman's hymn written by Chris Cander. I will listen to this one a third and fourth time.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 13, 2025
It’s interesting, and maybe if I took more time to dissect it would be more remarkable. But overall, I had a hard time getting through this, which is insane because it’s so short.
Wouldn’t recommend.
Wouldn’t recommend.
November 16, 2020
Didn't love it. It had potential but just kind of died at the end.
abandoned
January 3, 2021Still got 20 minutes left, but I wasn't interested enough in the story to finish it.
November 28, 2021
Was really interested until it just ended. Zero conclusion or I simply missed it.
December 11, 2021
I was digging it up until the end. I think I missed something.
June 1, 2023
What kind of an ending is that?! Did I miss something?! This short story left me confused and frustrated!
December 12, 2023
Interesting read...good read
February 19, 2024
Kind of interesting. Leaves you hanging.
January 26, 2025
A quick listen of the life of Eloise. Quite sad not have human contact or love from others.
February 2, 2025
3.5
I like that its open ended 😮💨
I like that its open ended 😮💨
December 16, 2023
Unbelievably Moving
Three quarters of the way through this story I started bawling my eyes out, which is always a great bellwether for how effective and impactful a short story is. There's just something so beautiful in the incredibly human and visceral desolate bleakness and moving in the potential for hope.
This one really came out of nowhere and knocked me for six. I absolutely need to read more from this author.
The performance by Gabra Zackman is perfect.
Honestly, listening to this has made paradoxically made my day from just how sad and emotional it made me.
Three quarters of the way through this story I started bawling my eyes out, which is always a great bellwether for how effective and impactful a short story is. There's just something so beautiful in the incredibly human and visceral desolate bleakness and moving in the potential for hope.
This one really came out of nowhere and knocked me for six. I absolutely need to read more from this author.
The performance by Gabra Zackman is perfect.
Honestly, listening to this has made paradoxically made my day from just how sad and emotional it made me.
November 17, 2020
A sweet, short story about love, life, loss and acceptance.
October 8, 2022
Short Story. (Estimated 15 pages).
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews