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Cleaner
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11 days and 02:15:22
10 copies available
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A woman in her mid-twenties moves back home to live with her parents, where her listlessness fuels an obsession with cleaning, and sets in motion a series of events that lead to her posing as a model in a nude gallery where she encounters a woman whose life will intertwine with her own.
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Expected publication February 17, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 50 reviews
October 23, 2025
I think this is a hit or miss book, and I was fascinated by it, even though I'm not sure I really loved it.
It felt like a car crash on the side of the road, an absolute mess but you keep staring at it.
It's weird, wild, funny and cringy. The writing style is not what I expected but perfect for the story.
I'm still not sure how I feel about it, but I had a good time!
Thank you Scribner for this ARC!
It felt like a car crash on the side of the road, an absolute mess but you keep staring at it.
It's weird, wild, funny and cringy. The writing style is not what I expected but perfect for the story.
I'm still not sure how I feel about it, but I had a good time!
Thank you Scribner for this ARC!
September 10, 2025
this was beyond random but i couldn’t put it down
im not sure if half of it was a dream or not because the narrator is so unreliable but it was very interesting and i’ve never read a book like it!!
im not sure if half of it was a dream or not because the narrator is so unreliable but it was very interesting and i’ve never read a book like it!!
September 22, 2025
Devoured this in two days. Sort of like Fleabag meets After Hours, but also completely unique. Had me laugh out loud several times!
July 13, 2025
*With thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC of this book*
“Cleaner” follows an unnamed narrator, who has found herself living back at her parents’ house (even though they’re not that keen on having her there, and keener on moving in a Ukrainian refugee). She is wondering what to do next with her life when she discovers a passion for cleaning that leads her - through a series of apparently passively-made decisions - to pose as a nude model and then become obsessed with an artist - Isabella - who makes a sketch of her.
The book reads like a fever dream as she calmly narrates her very unpredictable and sometimes bafflingly unlikely actions as she tries to find Isabella again. It reminded me of Halle Butler’s “The New Me” in that way. It is wry and amusing but there’s a heart of something darker. An enjoyable read.
“Cleaner” follows an unnamed narrator, who has found herself living back at her parents’ house (even though they’re not that keen on having her there, and keener on moving in a Ukrainian refugee). She is wondering what to do next with her life when she discovers a passion for cleaning that leads her - through a series of apparently passively-made decisions - to pose as a nude model and then become obsessed with an artist - Isabella - who makes a sketch of her.
The book reads like a fever dream as she calmly narrates her very unpredictable and sometimes bafflingly unlikely actions as she tries to find Isabella again. It reminded me of Halle Butler’s “The New Me” in that way. It is wry and amusing but there’s a heart of something darker. An enjoyable read.
November 5, 2025
cleaner is a textbook example of weird girl fiction that people will either love or hate. i was intrigued from the very first page and had no choice but to gobble it up, even if i’m not so sure i’d say that i loooooved it. i saw another reviewer describe it as a train wreck you can’t look away from—cleaner was messy and chaotic, even bordering on manic at times, and it somehow all works. there are no chapters and no paragraph breaks, which will infuriate some i’m sure. i thought it heightened the chaos and really felt like you slipped inside the wild mind of the cleaner. weird girl, weird book, and i think this will be a hit with the right crowd.
August 4, 2025
A stream-of-consciousness story of a queer woman’s life after graduation as she moves back with her parents. We follow her as her life takes unexpected turns and tumbles, following a chance meeting with another woman during her work as a cleaner.
She became obsessed with cleaning after moving back into her parents’ house and then takes jobs as a cleaner. Meeting another artist in the bathroom of an art gallery and partaking in cocaine and having sex with her all still in the same bathroom, seemed like an inciting incident that would drive the rest of the story. However, what followed was not what I had expected. I can’t say it was bad, but just that it was strange and rather authentic in ways.
It was a depiction of the messy, complicated, and detached life of a present-day individual. I feel like it could count as a coming-of-age of sorts, as her character is being shaped as we read the story.
There are two major complaints I can point out. First, is the crime and murder following the main character without any actual impact in the story or her character. And the second is the ending.
The writing style, while complex and at times hard to follow, was interesting and exciting. It is going to be a fun read for readers who enjoy the so-called “weird girl books”.
She became obsessed with cleaning after moving back into her parents’ house and then takes jobs as a cleaner. Meeting another artist in the bathroom of an art gallery and partaking in cocaine and having sex with her all still in the same bathroom, seemed like an inciting incident that would drive the rest of the story. However, what followed was not what I had expected. I can’t say it was bad, but just that it was strange and rather authentic in ways.
It was a depiction of the messy, complicated, and detached life of a present-day individual. I feel like it could count as a coming-of-age of sorts, as her character is being shaped as we read the story.
There are two major complaints I can point out. First, is the crime and murder following the main character without any actual impact in the story or her character. And the second is the ending.
The writing style, while complex and at times hard to follow, was interesting and exciting. It is going to be a fun read for readers who enjoy the so-called “weird girl books”.
September 28, 2025
beyond fabulous. several moments made me properly laugh out loud which is quite rare for a book to do to me. every sentence drips with meaning, each word chosen for maximum efficiency.
September 6, 2025
Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for sending an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This book kind of missed the mark for me and I think I was expecting something different. It's narrated as a stream of consciousness, the kind that incorporates spoken dialogue into the text and doesn't use quote marks, which is not my favourite thing.
The main character gets herself in such absurd situations and it's a bit weird how this is presented to the reader as being absolutely normal. I don't want to give details that would be spoilers, I can only say it comes across like the main character has no agency whatsoever. Things happen TO her all the time as if she can't influence any of it when actually she should be able to. The stream of consciousness narration doesn't address this either, or reflect on it. We're expected to accept it but this is not how real human beings behave.
If the author was looking to create a character that is just passive through every event in her life, then I suppose they succeeded but this makes the experience of reading this novel very frustrating.
This book kind of missed the mark for me and I think I was expecting something different. It's narrated as a stream of consciousness, the kind that incorporates spoken dialogue into the text and doesn't use quote marks, which is not my favourite thing.
The main character gets herself in such absurd situations and it's a bit weird how this is presented to the reader as being absolutely normal. I don't want to give details that would be spoilers, I can only say it comes across like the main character has no agency whatsoever. Things happen TO her all the time as if she can't influence any of it when actually she should be able to. The stream of consciousness narration doesn't address this either, or reflect on it. We're expected to accept it but this is not how real human beings behave.
If the author was looking to create a character that is just passive through every event in her life, then I suppose they succeeded but this makes the experience of reading this novel very frustrating.
August 14, 2025
A woman in her mid-twenties moves back home to live with her parents, where her listlessness fuels an obsession with cleaning, and sets in motion a series of events that lead to her posing as a model in a nude gallery where she encounters a woman whose life will intertwine with her own.
A realistic, relatable depiction of how messy and complicated life can be. The writing is so interesting and, while it made it somewhat hard to follow at times, it also made it truly captivating, and quite literally impossible to put this book down; it is a stream of consciousness, not afraid to experiment and explore. It's such a quick, fast-paced read, perfect to sit down and binge in a lazy day.
Many thanks to Bedford Square Publishers & NetGalley for the eARC. All opinions are my own.
A realistic, relatable depiction of how messy and complicated life can be. The writing is so interesting and, while it made it somewhat hard to follow at times, it also made it truly captivating, and quite literally impossible to put this book down; it is a stream of consciousness, not afraid to experiment and explore. It's such a quick, fast-paced read, perfect to sit down and binge in a lazy day.
Many thanks to Bedford Square Publishers & NetGalley for the eARC. All opinions are my own.
September 20, 2025
fever dream vibes, couldn’t put it down but also didn’t love it, ending felt incomplete
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
a continuous stream of thought from the author, I was stressed with them, frustrated about their decisions, and ultimately couldn't put it down because there were no breaks/chapters. reminded me of an insufferable Sally Rooney or Jen Beagin character (in a good way). strange but a nice way to spend a few hours.
January 16, 2026
While this book is rather short and had a couple interesting moments. I found myself bored and found the book to be slow.
November 6, 2025
Ļoti neparasta grāmata, kas mani kaitināja, kas mani ķircināja, smējās par mani un rādīja jauna cilvēka ceļu sevis pazaudēšanā un atrašanās.
Paldies manai māsīcai, kas man grāmatu atsūtīja, jo bez viņas es uz to pat nepaskatītos. Tas bija tā vērts izlasīt un varbūt mazliet saprast.
Paldies manai māsīcai, kas man grāmatu atsūtīja, jo bez viņas es uz to pat nepaskatītos. Tas bija tā vērts izlasīt un varbūt mazliet saprast.
October 14, 2025
What a wild and entertaining ride this book was! Desperate for a job, the main character starts cleaning for a gallery and meets another artist. An affair, a death, and a chance at a new identity - all these themes make this book hilariously chaotic. This was such a fast paced read that I just couldn’t put it down for a break. The plot is so wild I had to catch my breath afterwards.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Review of advance copy received from Goodreads Giveaways
Cleaner by Jess Shannon
Thank you to Scribner for the ARC! 🧼📚✨
I have no idea if I loved this book... but I couldn’t stop reading it. That kind of chaos? That kind of voice? That kind of wild, possibly-unhinged queer spiral through art, sex, obsession, and bleach? Yeah. It got to me.
This book is a total vibe. It’s stream-of-consciousness, totally unstructured, and so deeply, unapologetically weird. No chapters, no paragraph breaks, just a straight descent into the unfiltered brain of a young woman unraveling her place in the world, with rubber gloves on and cocaine dust still on her lip. 🧽💔🌀
• The writing is intense, jittery, and compulsively readable
• It's a perfect entry in the "weird girl lit" canon, think Melissa Broder or Ottessa Moshfegh, but with a bucket of dirty water and a vacuum
• I genuinely laughed, cringed, and questioned everything
• Queer, gritty, unpredictable, and full of messy yearning
But it won’t be for everyone.
• There’s crime and even murder lurking in the plot, but it doesn’t really matter, the emotional stakes are stranger than the legal ones
• Some readers will hate the structure, the lack of breaks, the endless prose, the blur between dream and reality
• The ending might leave you spinning
Still, I think that’s the point. Cleaner is about drifting. About detachment. About obsession, art, and making sense of yourself when nothing in the world feels solid. It’s gross, sensual, awkward, and raw. And it’s not pretending to be anything else.
🧹 For fans of weird, uncomfortable, voice-driven fiction, this will be a messy little treasure.
4 stars 🌟🌟🌟🌟
I need a shower. And maybe a therapist. But I liked it.
Thank you to Scribner for the ARC! 🧼📚✨
I have no idea if I loved this book... but I couldn’t stop reading it. That kind of chaos? That kind of voice? That kind of wild, possibly-unhinged queer spiral through art, sex, obsession, and bleach? Yeah. It got to me.
This book is a total vibe. It’s stream-of-consciousness, totally unstructured, and so deeply, unapologetically weird. No chapters, no paragraph breaks, just a straight descent into the unfiltered brain of a young woman unraveling her place in the world, with rubber gloves on and cocaine dust still on her lip. 🧽💔🌀
• The writing is intense, jittery, and compulsively readable
• It's a perfect entry in the "weird girl lit" canon, think Melissa Broder or Ottessa Moshfegh, but with a bucket of dirty water and a vacuum
• I genuinely laughed, cringed, and questioned everything
• Queer, gritty, unpredictable, and full of messy yearning
But it won’t be for everyone.
• There’s crime and even murder lurking in the plot, but it doesn’t really matter, the emotional stakes are stranger than the legal ones
• Some readers will hate the structure, the lack of breaks, the endless prose, the blur between dream and reality
• The ending might leave you spinning
Still, I think that’s the point. Cleaner is about drifting. About detachment. About obsession, art, and making sense of yourself when nothing in the world feels solid. It’s gross, sensual, awkward, and raw. And it’s not pretending to be anything else.
🧹 For fans of weird, uncomfortable, voice-driven fiction, this will be a messy little treasure.
4 stars 🌟🌟🌟🌟
I need a shower. And maybe a therapist. But I liked it.
August 21, 2025
Comparisons to Fleabag are overdone, but I do think in this case I can make a strong argument for it. In the same vein as Fleabag, Cleaner is messy and dark, self-aware of its format, and toes the line between the mundane and the absurd with wild abandon.
The main character is an unnamed woman in her mid-twenties, bouncing between jobs and barrelling between friendships and relationships with full force. She has a sort of detachment and birds-eye view of her life which makes her a very compelling narrator, even if her prime motivation is to narrativise her life rather than to make any significant changes or decisions on her own terms. (I know that “narrativise” isn’t a word, but I couldn’t think of a better one!)
The book is written without speech marks, chapter breaks, or paragraphs. While I’m usually opposed to books that don’t use speech marks, in this instance I did think it was very effective, and added to this sense that we might have an unreliable narrator. I would have quite liked to have paragraphs, as it was quite hard to follow and I often had to go back and reread a page or so to remind myself what was going on. I did understand why the author chose to do that though, and it did help achieve the effect I think she was going for.
This is a really strong debut novel, that’s not afraid to experiment and to go outside the box.
I received a free copy for an honest review.
The main character is an unnamed woman in her mid-twenties, bouncing between jobs and barrelling between friendships and relationships with full force. She has a sort of detachment and birds-eye view of her life which makes her a very compelling narrator, even if her prime motivation is to narrativise her life rather than to make any significant changes or decisions on her own terms. (I know that “narrativise” isn’t a word, but I couldn’t think of a better one!)
The book is written without speech marks, chapter breaks, or paragraphs. While I’m usually opposed to books that don’t use speech marks, in this instance I did think it was very effective, and added to this sense that we might have an unreliable narrator. I would have quite liked to have paragraphs, as it was quite hard to follow and I often had to go back and reread a page or so to remind myself what was going on. I did understand why the author chose to do that though, and it did help achieve the effect I think she was going for.
This is a really strong debut novel, that’s not afraid to experiment and to go outside the box.
I received a free copy for an honest review.
November 3, 2025
damn. I dropped my whole tbr for this one because the premise sounded so fun, but I ended up not being able to tell if I even liked it sadly!
I didn't like narrator at ALL and didn't understand the trajectory of the plot, it was too outlandish but not satire-y enough at the same time, just a weird in-between of unrealistic developments. it was just outlandish. it kinda gave Fleabag vibes at times, which I did like - just a messy, chaotic character who kept making weird choices that frustrated me. another thing I wasn't crazy about was the writing style - it was like all one giant paragraph. it was somewhat of a quick read which made all of the above easier to manage, but all in all, it kind of felt like a waste of time by the time I was done with it.
maybe it was just my mood, but this one just didn't really do it for me! I bet a lot of people will like it though. could see it being kind of divisive and I'm curious to hear what more people think of it! still grateful for the arc and not totally bitter about the experience -- it gave me some laughs and was entertaining at times. not a waste by any means! 2.5 rounded down~
I didn't like narrator at ALL and didn't understand the trajectory of the plot, it was too outlandish but not satire-y enough at the same time, just a weird in-between of unrealistic developments. it was just outlandish. it kinda gave Fleabag vibes at times, which I did like - just a messy, chaotic character who kept making weird choices that frustrated me. another thing I wasn't crazy about was the writing style - it was like all one giant paragraph. it was somewhat of a quick read which made all of the above easier to manage, but all in all, it kind of felt like a waste of time by the time I was done with it.
maybe it was just my mood, but this one just didn't really do it for me! I bet a lot of people will like it though. could see it being kind of divisive and I'm curious to hear what more people think of it! still grateful for the arc and not totally bitter about the experience -- it gave me some laughs and was entertaining at times. not a waste by any means! 2.5 rounded down~
August 18, 2025
I didn’t plan to finish the book this week, but since it’s written as one continuous paragraph, I just didn’t know where to stop 😂 If this effect was the author’s intention, it’s genius. The structure suits the story perfectly though as it mirrors the chaotic disorganised life of the unnamed character, who drifts through the world in a strangely detached way that makes her an unreliable narrator. The narrator’s mind is disorganised but her words are easy to read and flowed into my mind. It’s compulsive in the oddest sense.
It explores dark themes like loneliness and depression, but it’s also comical, filled with dry, wry humour. If you enjoy books like Berlin by Bea Setton or Nothing to See Here by Kevin Wilson (or any other books with a similar tone) this might be for you.
It’s definitely not a book for everyone. Both the structure and narration are intentionally a little disorienting. You’ll either be fascinated or baffled. But I found it intriguing, and I encourage you to give it a try if you enjoy weird books!
3.5 - 4 🌟
It explores dark themes like loneliness and depression, but it’s also comical, filled with dry, wry humour. If you enjoy books like Berlin by Bea Setton or Nothing to See Here by Kevin Wilson (or any other books with a similar tone) this might be for you.
It’s definitely not a book for everyone. Both the structure and narration are intentionally a little disorienting. You’ll either be fascinated or baffled. But I found it intriguing, and I encourage you to give it a try if you enjoy weird books!
3.5 - 4 🌟
August 20, 2025
Written as a continuous stream of consciousness, Cleaner follows an unnamed narrator as she moves back in with her parents and resolves to fix her aimlessness by finding work that satisfies her newfound obsession with cleaning, despite her academic accolades and qualifications. After a bathroom encounter with a woman at her new workplace, the two women’s lives become intertwined.
The narrative style, though disorienting at times, works well in mirroring the chaotic and unpredictable nature of a young woman’s grapple with loneliness and disillusion. The novel has a charming, relatable yet surreal quality, and its writing style (though it takes some getting used to) lends itself to an immersive and entertaining story. The result is a strange, messy, and compelling portrait of early adulthood that captures its drift and disquiet with sharp, understated humour.
Many thanks to Bedford Square Publishers for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley.
The narrative style, though disorienting at times, works well in mirroring the chaotic and unpredictable nature of a young woman’s grapple with loneliness and disillusion. The novel has a charming, relatable yet surreal quality, and its writing style (though it takes some getting used to) lends itself to an immersive and entertaining story. The result is a strange, messy, and compelling portrait of early adulthood that captures its drift and disquiet with sharp, understated humour.
Many thanks to Bedford Square Publishers for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley.
December 11, 2025
Cleaner: A Novel by Jess Shannon is described as a tragicomic debut following a young woman who begins work as a cleaner, while she struggles to find a job as an artist after finishing university. She meets Isabella, another young artist whom the narrator becomes infatuated with. The cleaner begins to settle into a unique and unusual lifestyle as she struggles to find her footing.
I am not sure if the formatting of this book was just messy on purpose or if that is the fault of my DRC that I read on my Kindle, but it really affected my reading experience. This book was extremely difficult to follow, and I kept losing my spot in the text as I was reading, which kind of sets the tone for the book. No chapters, very few paragraph breaks that I can recall, no quotations around dialogue, etc. As well as being difficult to follow, every character here is actually insufferable, and I didn't care about anyone. I really don't think this is a bad book because I was intrigued to see where the plot was going, but the format and characterization was kind of insufferable.
Thank you Edelweiss and Scribner for an early review copy! This is out Febraury 17, 2026.
I am not sure if the formatting of this book was just messy on purpose or if that is the fault of my DRC that I read on my Kindle, but it really affected my reading experience. This book was extremely difficult to follow, and I kept losing my spot in the text as I was reading, which kind of sets the tone for the book. No chapters, very few paragraph breaks that I can recall, no quotations around dialogue, etc. As well as being difficult to follow, every character here is actually insufferable, and I didn't care about anyone. I really don't think this is a bad book because I was intrigued to see where the plot was going, but the format and characterization was kind of insufferable.
Thank you Edelweiss and Scribner for an early review copy! This is out Febraury 17, 2026.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you to NetGalley and Scribner for providing me an advanced copy of this book. All opinions in this review are my own.
Listen, I love weird girl fiction, but this doesn't really fit into anything
While I understand the point of the stream-of-consciousness, no-paragraphs style of prose, I still needed a break. Over time, the lack of breaks began to suffocate me as a reader. Finishing this book became a chore, and frankly, I didn't think that the ending was worth it. Yes, the narrator was unreliable. Yes, she was a weird girl who felt aimless, and who hasn't? Yes, she made bad decisions several times and again, who hasn't? I related to her in some respects and was launched out of the story at other times. Overall, I don't really know what I think of this book other than 1) it was an interesting weird-girl fiction that just didn't do it for me and 2) once again, the title is entirely misleading
2.5/5
Listen, I love weird girl fiction, but this doesn't really fit into anything
While I understand the point of the stream-of-consciousness, no-paragraphs style of prose, I still needed a break. Over time, the lack of breaks began to suffocate me as a reader. Finishing this book became a chore, and frankly, I didn't think that the ending was worth it. Yes, the narrator was unreliable. Yes, she was a weird girl who felt aimless, and who hasn't? Yes, she made bad decisions several times and again, who hasn't? I related to her in some respects and was launched out of the story at other times. Overall, I don't really know what I think of this book other than 1) it was an interesting weird-girl fiction that just didn't do it for me and 2) once again, the title is entirely misleading
2.5/5
August 22, 2025
A non-stop, erratic, raw, funny, full-circle examination of being lost in your twenties. As a girl in my twenties this is eerily relatable and equally outlandish, just the perfect concoction.
In this book we follow the narrator as she navigates life after moving back in with her parents. She develops an obsession with cleaning, a talent for wandering and a new love interest. Through her varyingly unhinged interactions and as a result of her lack of life path everything starts getting a bit strange... you will be hooked! I did not want to put this book down for anything.
Themes: adulting, loneliness, sexuality, individuality, obsession, mental health.
Perfect for fans of: Everyone I Know Is Dying (Emily Slapper) and This Immaculate Body (Emma van Straaten).
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the e-ARC of this title.
In this book we follow the narrator as she navigates life after moving back in with her parents. She develops an obsession with cleaning, a talent for wandering and a new love interest. Through her varyingly unhinged interactions and as a result of her lack of life path everything starts getting a bit strange... you will be hooked! I did not want to put this book down for anything.
Themes: adulting, loneliness, sexuality, individuality, obsession, mental health.
Perfect for fans of: Everyone I Know Is Dying (Emily Slapper) and This Immaculate Body (Emma van Straaten).
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the e-ARC of this title.
November 5, 2025
girl gets job, girl has fling with person at job, gets fired, gets ghosted by previous girl but somehow ends up stealing her life and moving in with her boyfriend (?????????????????????), the end.
this review is going to be short because there isn't much here worth noting. it was derivative, boring, and not well written. the beginning started out strong, but quickly went downhill when men were introduced. it really should have followed the mc and isabella's relationship the entire time. i understand it was meant to be bizarre as the mc attempts to take isabella's life, but it was far to predictable and was a plot i've read many times before. it offered no fresh perspective. also the main character?? geeze louise she was terrible. and i love terrible people.
howeverrrr, thanks to net galley and the publisher for giving me an advanced readers copy in exchange for my honest review!
this review is going to be short because there isn't much here worth noting. it was derivative, boring, and not well written. the beginning started out strong, but quickly went downhill when men were introduced. it really should have followed the mc and isabella's relationship the entire time. i understand it was meant to be bizarre as the mc attempts to take isabella's life, but it was far to predictable and was a plot i've read many times before. it offered no fresh perspective. also the main character?? geeze louise she was terrible. and i love terrible people.
howeverrrr, thanks to net galley and the publisher for giving me an advanced readers copy in exchange for my honest review!
November 15, 2025
I’m still trying to figure out how I feel about this one.
It’s really a trip down a rabbit hole. Every bit felt as random as the next. There were a few coincidences that felt impossible, but they helped keep the storyline moving.
Written as an internal monologue - I found it parts funny, suffocating, cringey, manic, pointless, but overall entertaining.
It’s hard to really get a full picture of who this main character is - at times she seems completely socially inept, the next she’s charming her way into taking over someone’s life. There were times I wondered if I was reading a drug trip experience, even questioning if she was a murderer. Spoiler - she’s not?
I forsee a lot of fleabag comparisons but honestly this is just really unique. Well done.
It’s really a trip down a rabbit hole. Every bit felt as random as the next. There were a few coincidences that felt impossible, but they helped keep the storyline moving.
Written as an internal monologue - I found it parts funny, suffocating, cringey, manic, pointless, but overall entertaining.
It’s hard to really get a full picture of who this main character is - at times she seems completely socially inept, the next she’s charming her way into taking over someone’s life. There were times I wondered if I was reading a drug trip experience, even questioning if she was a murderer. Spoiler - she’s not?
I forsee a lot of fleabag comparisons but honestly this is just really unique. Well done.
November 18, 2025
Picaresque and accidental worlds
—
In a short novel where nothing much seems to happen, and yet everything does, the picaresque and near formless main character says yes to things she shouldn’t, taking her life from one extreme to another. As all of her accidental worlds collide, we see… what? Something? That life is chaotic and uncertain and non-narrative? All of that is a given: Robert McKee said it best, “The weakest possible excuse to include anything in a story is: 'But it actually happened.' Everything happens; everything imaginable happens. Indeed, the unimaginable happens. But story is not life in actuality. Mere occurrence brings us nowhere near the truth. What happens is fact, not truth. Truth is what we think about what happens.”
There is no truth here.
—
In a short novel where nothing much seems to happen, and yet everything does, the picaresque and near formless main character says yes to things she shouldn’t, taking her life from one extreme to another. As all of her accidental worlds collide, we see… what? Something? That life is chaotic and uncertain and non-narrative? All of that is a given: Robert McKee said it best, “The weakest possible excuse to include anything in a story is: 'But it actually happened.' Everything happens; everything imaginable happens. Indeed, the unimaginable happens. But story is not life in actuality. Mere occurrence brings us nowhere near the truth. What happens is fact, not truth. Truth is what we think about what happens.”
There is no truth here.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Melissa Broder was a comp for this book and while I've only read one book by Broder (Death Valley), I fully agree; I loved that Broder book btw. Cleaner is a quirky, oddly funny fever dream of a book. The narrator is chaotic and not even particularly likeable. This unnamed narrator is somehow completely lost in life and yet adores herself; you kinda enjoy cringing at her terrible choices. It had that feel of millennial ennui that I always associate with Ottessa Moshfegh's My Year of Rest and Relaxtion. A more recent comp. would be Happiness and Love by Zoe Dunbo which follows the same formatting of basically one long paragraph.
It's a fever dream. A bit of a train wreck. A character-driven story. I read it in one day and I'd say it's a day well spent :)
It's a fever dream. A bit of a train wreck. A character-driven story. I read it in one day and I'd say it's a day well spent :)
October 4, 2025
Cleaner by Jess Shannon follows a young woman who moves back in with her parents after her arts degree. Adrift with no purpose, she starts obsessively cleaning, a soothing practice that she can earn money out of too. It’s at a gallery where she meets a woman whose life she will become enmeshed with — even the relationship.
I loved this, reminding me of Luster and Boy Parts. It’s written as one stream of consciousness, meaning no paragraph breaks or chapters, but didn’t put me off at all because it’s such an addictive read. There are some darkly comic moments and the protagonist, for all her woes, you love to hate.
I loved this, reminding me of Luster and Boy Parts. It’s written as one stream of consciousness, meaning no paragraph breaks or chapters, but didn’t put me off at all because it’s such an addictive read. There are some darkly comic moments and the protagonist, for all her woes, you love to hate.
October 22, 2025
Cleaner is exactly the kind of odd, unhinged-girl story I usually adore—messy, chaotic, and full of that directionless, spiraling energy that feels both funny and painfully real. The narrator’s mind is a fascinating place to be, if also a slightly claustrophobic one. But the writing style—one endless stream of consciousness without breaks or clear dialogue—made it hard for me to stay fully immersed. I love the concept, the weirdness, the “what-is-even-happening” energy, but the lack of structure kept pulling me out. It’s one of those books you’ll either love for its brilliance or struggle with for the exact same reasons.
Thank you NetGalley and Scribner for the ARC!
Thank you NetGalley and Scribner for the ARC!
October 29, 2025
** ARC Review **
A unique premise and some sharply-written prose, exploring modern disconnection and identity through a young woman's cleaning obsession and an affair with an enigmatic artist. The narrator's voice is distinctive and clever, with moments of dark humor.
However, the narrative is often more meandering than purposeful, suffering from an episodic structure that feels disjointed. The plot lacks a consistent rhythm, and the various surreal scenarios don't always build to a satisfying conclusion. The book is a compelling but uneven read, offering sparkling moments but a messy overall execution for a story about order.
A unique premise and some sharply-written prose, exploring modern disconnection and identity through a young woman's cleaning obsession and an affair with an enigmatic artist. The narrator's voice is distinctive and clever, with moments of dark humor.
However, the narrative is often more meandering than purposeful, suffering from an episodic structure that feels disjointed. The plot lacks a consistent rhythm, and the various surreal scenarios don't always build to a satisfying conclusion. The book is a compelling but uneven read, offering sparkling moments but a messy overall execution for a story about order.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thanks to Netgalley and Scribner for the ebook. A young artist, after university, is stuck back at home with her parents, who have informed her that a Ukrainian refugee will be taking over her bedroom any day now. Completely lost, the artist takes a job as a cleaner in an art gallery. She starts an affair with Isabelle, another aspiring artist, and when Isabelle disappears one day, the artist moves in with Isabelle’s rich boyfriend Paul. It all feels strangely seamless, but after a few weeks, the artist finds that she’s still just as lost as she’s ever been. A lovely and absurd take on our times.
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