Killing Mr. Griffin, Chapter 19: The Truth is Boring #evanreviews

What would happen if Quentin Tarantino took a blow to the head and started writing John Hughes-esque teen fiction? This book, that’s what. Welcome back to Evan Reviews for Chapter 19 of Killing Mr. Griffin. The names have been changed to protect me from getting bored.

So things got a little hot in that last chapter, huh? Duckling was smoking! And who was that unmasked woman? Onward!

******BEWARE THAR BE SPOILERS********

Summary
Duckling's mom barges into her room, announcing that the Snape baby was birthed. Duckling does not respond, so the mother prods her, wondering if Duckling and the reader want to know why Lady Preggo Snape (now just Lady Snape plus Baby Snape) and Det. Gordon saved her from the fire. We get all the information from the previous chapter about kidnapping and investigation, all to the tune of Duckling's indifference. Then we get the bombshell that all the adults are blaming the creepy Rocksteady kid and not our wonderful Duckling! Well, mostly.

The mother then goes into an explanation about Rocksteady's psycology that rivals the last ten minutes of Psycho telling us why Norman liked to dress up as his mom. Then there's some legal mumbo jumbo about how all the kids will be tried in court, leading me to believe they did not get away with it at all. Mom wants Duckling to turn state's evidence against the rest of the Killing Club and get some therapy. Mom leaves, telling Duckling they need new curtains.

Duckling then gets out the assignment she did for Snape at the beginning of the book. Not Preggo returned it to her, because that's what you do with the person who killed your husband. At the bottom of the poem, there's a really nice note from Snape saying he will see her next year and hopes she has a wonderful summer and that they will be besties forever. The author reflects that Duckling can not cry as she puts the book to bed.

Observations
1. Well, that's the end. Other than the usual argument against the exposition dump at the end, this is a well put together chapter wrapping up the story. As I said above, it is very much like the end of Psycho, kinda boring end to a fairly well told story. I would have liked to see the point of view of the other characters, particularily El Guapo, but the view from a broken writer is sometimes the best we get. Stay tuned for the review.

Thank you, this has been today's #evanreviews

First Chapter                     Previous Chapter 

Killing Mr. Griffin, Chapter 18: Come On, Duckling, Light My Fire #evanreviews

What would happen if Quentin Tarantino took a blow to the head and started writing John Hughes-esque teen fiction? This book, that’s what. Welcome back to Evan Reviews for Chapter 18 of Killing Mr. Griffin. The names have been changed to protect me from getting bored.

The poop is contacting the fan as the Killing Club has turned on Duckling. Will she make it out alive? Onward!

******BEWARE THAR BE SPOILERS********

Summary

Rocksteady tells Beebop and Cordelia to tie up Duckling and begins to question Duckling's commitment to Sparkle Motion. Rocksteady calms down Cordelia by slinging some crafted bullscience while Beebop holds Duckling. Cordelia gets a knife, and Rocksteady uses it to cut the cord from some drapes about which Duckling has a weird flashback.

Beebop has a moment of conscience, not wanting to be part of something bad, just part of a hostage situation. He and Rocksteady argue about going along with the plan, driving way the hell out of town with Snape's car, while Duckling is tied up in her house. Rocksteady says that everything's cool, he's gonna make sure Duckling don't say nothing, see. Beebop is a little uneasy about leaving his creepy friend with a tied up girl, but Cordelia convinces him to go with her and leave Rocksteady and Duckling to their business.

Rocksteady starts by opening up the windows and letting in some wind. He and Duckling chitchat about the house fire that killed his father, the same father that was going to have little Rocksteady put in juvenile jail. Duckling attempts to talk Rocksteady into going with her to the cops, but he retorts by setting her damn house on fire, starting with the drapes.

Rocksteady taunts Duckling a bit as the drapes go all flamy, about how the others will go along with him and how his dad was a meany pants. As Rocksteady goes to leave and Duckling decides to take a nap, she sees a man pull Rocksteady out the window and Preggo Snape’s face looking down at her..

Observations

1. Why the hell did we need to know the drape's back story? Is it important that they need to be cleaned a lot? I know this is just to show how disorganized Duckling's mind is, but she's being held hostage by a murder and his two accomplises. Goes without saying she would be a little unhinged.
2. I like the menace Rocksteady gives here. His own backstory coincides with his shitty characterization very well
3. I now have the answer to my first observation. I hope I am the first ever to type the words "Chekhov's Drapes."
4. Rocksteady's taunts give away two things: A) that he has thought about what the others will say and B) he already has plans to blame Beebop and Cordelia.

Thank you, this has been today's #evanreviews

First Chapter                    Previous Chapter                        Next Chapter