Things

by Francine Garson

Jenny Gilbert is what you might call a hoarder, but she's a neat hoarder. She's a clean hoarder. And she's keeping it ALL a big secret.To everyone who knows her, Jenny is a successful young college counselor. But secretly, she is also a collector, some may even say a hoarder. As a former military brat, she is on a mission to find and reacquire the many relics of her childhood that she was forced to leave behind with each of her family’s moves, and she has rented a secret second apartment to accommodate her growing obsession.When Jenny reconnects with Nick, a man from her past, a romance begins. But, as she tries to hide an increasingly complicated web of secrets from the man she’s falling in love with, she becomes enmeshed in a messy tangle of omissions, half-truths, and lies. Then, when Hurricane Sandy adjusts its course, aiming itself directly at both of her apartments on the New Jersey shore, Jenny finds herself catapulted into a truly desperate situation.At its heart, Things is the story of a young woman searching for a sense of rootedness, a sense of home. But, she needs to learn that amassing physical things is not the way to find it, and that what she seeks is not an external thing at all. Her quest is aided, as well as complicated, by Nick’s arrival and the looming threat of the most destructive hurricane in New Jersey’s history.

350 pages, Paperback

Published September 11, 2018

About the author

Author of FOLLOW THE LEADER and THINGS, Francine Garson is a former law school administrator and independent college counselor. She has also been a waitress, a factory worker, a deli clerk, a camp counselor, and the assistant manager of a bookstore. Her children are grown, and she lives in central New Jersey with her husband, a mellow orange cat, and lots of books.

Francine's work has appeared in a number of online and print magazines. Her flash fiction has received awards from the National League of American Pen Women and WOW-Women On Writing. Learn more at www.francinegarson.com and follow her on Twitter and Instagram at @francinegarson.

Reviews

[Dawn Hosmer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Once I started reading Things, I didn't want to put it down. It was an easy read that pulled me in from the start. One minute I could completely empathize with the main character and the next I wanted to shake her and tell her to pull herself together. Garson did a great job at exploring the emotional attachments people form to objects and how hoarding behavior manifests itself.

[J.J. Lair · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book grabbed me at the first page. The fathers evaluations of his life just pulled me in and made me interested in him. I love the concept of the Army brat with nothing now becomes hoarder.
Then the evaluation of things and life. The whole book was vignettes and metaphors. So much in this one story.

[Grace J Reviewerlady · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wasn't sure what to expect from this novel, but I was impressed by both the quality and how accomplished the writing was - especially for a debut novel.

Jenny's family moved around a lot due to her father's army career; as an adult she still feels the loss of a solid and permanent home and has set out to acquire all the items which others can find in their bedrooms and attic when they return to their families. However, Jenny's obsession is beginning to take over her life and the consequences are beginning to show.

Keeping her burgeoning collection hidden involves Jenny renting a second apartment and creating another life built on secrets and lies to the detriment of her fledgling relationship with Nick, an old acquaintance who values truth and honesty above all else. Something has to give ... and right up until the final few pages the reader has no way of knowing exactly what. Whilst Jenny can't shake the feeling of not belonging, her way of dealing with this is unique and hard to understand, but author Francine Garson has created a beautifully polished piece of writing, encompassing Jenny's obsession into a much wider story line. There is much to focus on, resulting in a well-conceived and original story; interesting, entertaining and delightful to read. This is a novel I really enjoyed, and I look forward to reading more from this author in future. A definite recommendation to lovers of women's fiction - well worth adding to your book collection!

[Gina Rae Mitchell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Things by Francine Garson really resonated with me. As someone who moved a lot as a child, I understand the importance of your “things”.

However, I got so frustrated with Jenny as her obsession began to rule her life. Why can’t she see what is happening? Is she actually going to give up her chance at love to keep her secrets? Can Nick reach her? Does Greg have an ulterior motive? So many questions.

The author has an incredible way with words. Her descriptions of the Jersey Shore make you feel like you are right there on the sand. I like the Hurricane Sandy aspect. There is nothing like a life-threatening natural disaster to make you prioritize your life.

Things is a novel with a little romance, family history, secrets, and lies. That’s everything you need to make an excellent story. The references to 80’s & 90’s toys is an added bonus. Go read it today!

[Lisa Hodorovych · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! Just wow!

Francine did an amazing job of keeping you hooked into the story the entire time. From beginning to end you cheered for Jenny, you cried with Jenny, and you yelled at Jenny. I became so emotionally invested in the characters and so intrigued by the story that I didn't want to put the book down. My favorite part of the story, though, was being able to recognize certain settings as it took place in my home state of New Jersey. It's very rare that I find a fiction story based in Jersey, so it was really refreshing to recognize certain towns and roads throughout the book.

[Vivian Fransen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book! Engaging characters and plenty of New Jersey mentions. Here’s a sample sentence: “He stands rooted to the floor, his back to me. A tree, unbending” (page 295). See what I mean? So much fun to read. It’s about getting in some serious trouble because of secrets and lies; so much is at stake in terms of holding on or letting go. The well-crafted storytelling and relevant subject matter make this book an excellent selection for book discussion groups. A fast-paced page-turner indeed.

[Arlene Novick · Rating 5 out of 5]

Haunted by the ambiguity of her childhood, Jenny’s obsession with the past is causing her to lose the beauty of moving forward into the future. In a world where chaos and confusion seem to be the norm, Francine Garson’s first novel, set in New Jersey, is a neat package of skilled craftsmanship that has captivated my sense of balance and spirituality. Articulate in its simplicity of language and characterization, THINGS is an ideal and timely story for a movie about reclaiming hope for the future. Arlene Novick (poet and writer).

[Laura Buckley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Jenny has her life together. She’s a successful professional, living in a great apartment—what’s not to be proud of? But Jenny has a secret, in the form of a second apartment full of things she can’t bear to get rid of. Jenny is a hoarder and, as she embarks upon a relationship with a man from her past, she finds herself struggling more and more to manage the lies propping up this fictional outer life she’s been building up for years.

Things, by Francine Garson, has a very interesting premise, and I think Jenny runs counter to some of the pre-conceived notions of hoarders that people tend to have. I thought her motivation made a lot of sense, and her attachment to the possessions she had built up in her secret flat was easy to empathise with.

Things is an accomplished book, an intriguing read dealing with a scenario you don’t see represented all that often. I can’t personally vouch for how fair or realistic the depiction of the hoarding mindset was, but I thought it was a very sympathetic portrait. The writing, while it didn’t always grab me, has some of the understated style of Sally Rooney, so if you were a fan of Conversations With Friends this might be a good match for you.

[Marybeth Cully · Rating 2 out of 5]

Things

Interesting plot, a neat hoarder scarred by being a military kid. Ending too abrupt...too many characters on the fringe without tying them into the story in meaningful way and too many interesting characters not fully fleshed out.