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Getaway #6
Shell Game
An extended family’s Cape Cod vacation reveals uncomfortable truths that threaten one man’s illusion of happiness in this incisive short story by the New York TimesLeave the World Behind.
Mark has a wife and two kids, a sense of purpose, financial security, and a fragile contentment. However wistful his visions of the future, Mark knows who he is. But a summer trip with his abrasive brother-in-law and unhappy sister-in-law leave Mark questioning everything he thinks he knows about his family—and himself.
Shell Game by Rumaan Alam is part of Getaway, a collection of six stories about dream escapes that take unimaginable, even sinister, turns. Each piece can be read or listened to in a single sitting.
Mark has a wife and two kids, a sense of purpose, financial security, and a fragile contentment. However wistful his visions of the future, Mark knows who he is. But a summer trip with his abrasive brother-in-law and unhappy sister-in-law leave Mark questioning everything he thinks he knows about his family—and himself.
Shell Game by Rumaan Alam is part of Getaway, a collection of six stories about dream escapes that take unimaginable, even sinister, turns. Each piece can be read or listened to in a single sitting.
29 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 31, 2022
422 people are currently reading
739 people want to read
About the author
Rumaan Alam
16books2,029followersI'm the author of the novels Rich and Pretty, That Kind of Mother, Leave the World Behind, and Entitlement.
My short fiction has appeared in StoryQuarterly, Crazyhorse, Meridian, and elsewhere. I've also written for the New York Times, the New Yorker, the Wall Street Journal, and the New Republic. I studied writing at Oberlin College. Now I live in New York with my husband and two kids.
My short fiction has appeared in StoryQuarterly, Crazyhorse, Meridian, and elsewhere. I've also written for the New York Times, the New Yorker, the Wall Street Journal, and the New Republic. I studied writing at Oberlin College. Now I live in New York with my husband and two kids.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 305 reviews
December 8, 2022
Wow. I don’t even know what to say about this one. For once I think I’m speechless�
Each of these stories are claimed to have a sinister twist. I don’t know why this one was added to the collection as it is so different in a horrible way to the rest of the series.
The only thing ‘sinister� about this is the super creepy pedophile vibes of our main character. He says some weird, weird stuff but oddly, I think the author wants us to like him?? There’s also very gross descriptions of a baby’s excrement on two different occasions in the story.
This is a bad one. Don’t waste your time.
Each of these stories are claimed to have a sinister twist. I don’t know why this one was added to the collection as it is so different in a horrible way to the rest of the series.
The only thing ‘sinister� about this is the super creepy pedophile vibes of our main character. He says some weird, weird stuff but oddly, I think the author wants us to like him?? There’s also very gross descriptions of a baby’s excrement on two different occasions in the story.
This is a bad one. Don’t waste your time.
October 8, 2022
A middle-aged man musing while on a family vacation. This short story is included in Amazon Prime's Getaway series among their vacation thrillers, but it doesn't thrill. I may be too dense to get the point but have no idea what the author was trying to convey. Nothing happens, but there are some unsettling undertones. I dislike giving a story 1 Star, but I note many others did as well. No idea what I just read.
September 2, 2022
I have no idea what this story was about it was awful
September 7, 2022
I enjoyed this interlude of a family on vacation. Mark, the husband of Rachel, is the narrator of this peek at family dynamics; not all of it was pretty. Rachel is Geoff's twin sister, and both families have rented a condo on the Cape. Mark and Rachel's sons and Geoff and his wife Sasha's daughter and baby boy round out the group. It's mostly the dance of spousal diplomacy and plenty of child wrangling with a dash of Mark's middle-age ennui. There's also the underlying and mostly undiscussed circumstance that Geoff, always given to having problems dealing with adult daily life has found a new obsession which apparently will go overlooked again and this time wind up in disaster by the last paragraph.
The writing was pretty atmospheric and I only had one question by the end: Why couldn't Geoff vote anymore? The things you hear in passing at family gatherings for which there is no further explanation. That was a doozy and relatable. I also appreciated Mark and Sasha being sort of outsiders to their spouses' relationship even on the trip. The allowance made for "well, they're twins" and "twins need their time together" was interesting to me. As a singleton, I find sibling relationships fascinating and kind of a marvel anyway.
I read this via Kindle Unlimited (or maybe Amazon Prime; it's available via both) and am glad I stumbled across it because I'd completely forgotten about Amazon Original Stories and have found lots of themes I've missed and am interested in reading. This is the first thing I've read by Alam and I'd read more.
The writing was pretty atmospheric and I only had one question by the end: Why couldn't Geoff vote anymore? The things you hear in passing at family gatherings for which there is no further explanation. That was a doozy and relatable. I also appreciated Mark and Sasha being sort of outsiders to their spouses' relationship even on the trip. The allowance made for "well, they're twins" and "twins need their time together" was interesting to me. As a singleton, I find sibling relationships fascinating and kind of a marvel anyway.
I read this via Kindle Unlimited (or maybe Amazon Prime; it's available via both) and am glad I stumbled across it because I'd completely forgotten about Amazon Original Stories and have found lots of themes I've missed and am interested in reading. This is the first thing I've read by Alam and I'd read more.
November 6, 2022
the setup�
Mark and Rachel are married with two children and they decide to vacation on the Cape with her abrasive twin brother Geoff, his wife Sasha and their two small children. Rachel and Geoff have their own method of communication that Mark and Sasha just accept as a “twin thing.�
the heart of the story�
The story is told from Mark’s point of view as he privately observes everything going on around him but particularly some of the disturbing comments made by Geoff that he finds racist. It’s clear that he has a low opinion of his brother-in-law but is reluctant to discuss the issue with Rachel. And, by the way, some of his own personal observations are equally troublesome for different reasons.
the narration�
I enjoyed the tone and style of the narrator, especially as he didn’t have much to sink into because of Mark’s rambling thoughts. I’d listen to anything he chooses to narrate.
the bottom line�
Huh? The point of the story just escapes me, though I’m left with some strong opinions about Mark and Geoff. There’s a distinct family dynamic that appears to seriously differ from what they look like to anyone on the outside. Maybe that’s the point but it eluded me. The author has serious skills but I think I may find him more enjoyable in a full length story. 2.5 stars
Posted on
(Thanks to Brilliance Audio for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.)
Mark and Rachel are married with two children and they decide to vacation on the Cape with her abrasive twin brother Geoff, his wife Sasha and their two small children. Rachel and Geoff have their own method of communication that Mark and Sasha just accept as a “twin thing.�
the heart of the story�
The story is told from Mark’s point of view as he privately observes everything going on around him but particularly some of the disturbing comments made by Geoff that he finds racist. It’s clear that he has a low opinion of his brother-in-law but is reluctant to discuss the issue with Rachel. And, by the way, some of his own personal observations are equally troublesome for different reasons.
the narration�
I enjoyed the tone and style of the narrator, especially as he didn’t have much to sink into because of Mark’s rambling thoughts. I’d listen to anything he chooses to narrate.
the bottom line�
Huh? The point of the story just escapes me, though I’m left with some strong opinions about Mark and Geoff. There’s a distinct family dynamic that appears to seriously differ from what they look like to anyone on the outside. Maybe that’s the point but it eluded me. The author has serious skills but I think I may find him more enjoyable in a full length story. 2.5 stars
Posted on
(Thanks to Brilliance Audio for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.)
September 10, 2022
Ok, this is weird. No idea what or who is going on.
Have no idea what this is about. But it's bad writing.
Really, I hate to be crude, but WTAF is this.
Have no idea what this is about. But it's bad writing.
Really, I hate to be crude, but WTAF is this.
September 26, 2022
Surprising Literary Fiction
Review of the Amazon Original Kindle eBook (August 31, 2022), released simultaneously with the Audible Original audiobook.
Shell Game was a surprising literary fiction addition to the long running Amazon Original Stories series of short stories which are usually based around genre themes such as crime, mystery, horror, comedy or memoir. It is literary fiction in the sense that nothing much really happens. We observe the vacation of an extended family centred around a sister and brother, their partners and their children. We follow the inner thoughts of Mark as he sees his wife's brother and sister-in-law's relationship while he doubts the former's money-making schemes. He is shocked to discover a racist tinge to his brother-in-law's ideas. Mark admires a young lifeguard's physique as we ponder his perhaps latent homosexuality. Then it ends, except for a sudden leap into the future, when the kids are grown-up and we suspect that nothing much has really happened in between. This is probable cause for an Ambiguous Ending Alert �, but this was definitely something different from the usual run of the mill Amazon Originals. Polarized reviews seem to be the result.
Shell Game is one of six Amazon Original Kindle eBooks/Audible Audio audiobooks released on August 31, 2022 as part of the of short stories where "Secrets follow you everywhere. Perfect vacation or last resort? In this collection of short psychological thrillers, bestselling authors bring trouble to paradise. Today’s itinerary: surfing, sailing, hiking, facing your worst fears... Most dream vacations never live up to expectations—but few cause this many nightmares."
Trivia and Link
You can watch for current and past Amazon Original Kindle short stories which are usually paired with their Audible Original narrations at an Amazon page (link goes to Amazon US, adjust for your own country or region).
Review of the Amazon Original Kindle eBook (August 31, 2022), released simultaneously with the Audible Original audiobook.
Shell Game was a surprising literary fiction addition to the long running Amazon Original Stories series of short stories which are usually based around genre themes such as crime, mystery, horror, comedy or memoir. It is literary fiction in the sense that nothing much really happens. We observe the vacation of an extended family centred around a sister and brother, their partners and their children. We follow the inner thoughts of Mark as he sees his wife's brother and sister-in-law's relationship while he doubts the former's money-making schemes. He is shocked to discover a racist tinge to his brother-in-law's ideas. Mark admires a young lifeguard's physique as we ponder his perhaps latent homosexuality. Then it ends, except for a sudden leap into the future, when the kids are grown-up and we suspect that nothing much has really happened in between. This is probable cause for an Ambiguous Ending Alert �, but this was definitely something different from the usual run of the mill Amazon Originals. Polarized reviews seem to be the result.
Shell Game is one of six Amazon Original Kindle eBooks/Audible Audio audiobooks released on August 31, 2022 as part of the of short stories where "Secrets follow you everywhere. Perfect vacation or last resort? In this collection of short psychological thrillers, bestselling authors bring trouble to paradise. Today’s itinerary: surfing, sailing, hiking, facing your worst fears... Most dream vacations never live up to expectations—but few cause this many nightmares."
Trivia and Link
You can watch for current and past Amazon Original Kindle short stories which are usually paired with their Audible Original narrations at an Amazon page (link goes to Amazon US, adjust for your own country or region).
August 28, 2023
|
I don't know what the fuck this was, but I'm pretty sure it was fucked up.
Me, closing my Kindle after finishing this:
� | 1 star
I don't know what the fuck this was, but I'm pretty sure it was fucked up.
Me, closing my Kindle after finishing this:
� | 1 star
September 6, 2022
Horribly written with no point. There are bits of Pedophilia that are really unnerving.
September 20, 2022
If this wasn’t less than 30 pages, it would have been a DNF. The writing was horrible, and there were multiple times where I had to stop reading and then remind myself that there’s no reason to not finish a 30 page book. I always try to think of a positive thing to say in every review I write, but I truly got nothing for this one. So sorry to this man
September 11, 2022
Subtle but clever. Well done.
June 28, 2024
Family at the Beach
I’m going to be honest and tell you that I really didn’t understand the point of this short story. A guy decides that his wife doesn’t see her twin brother often enough, so he invites his brother-in-law and his family along on their family vacation.
The brother-in-law according to his wife never sticks with anything and he tells Mark that he is worried about the political climate of the world. I’m not sure, but I think Mark is eyeing the young male lifeguard, but never acknowledges it and, nothing really makes sense. After reading this, all I have to say is, “What was that?�
I’m going to be honest and tell you that I really didn’t understand the point of this short story. A guy decides that his wife doesn’t see her twin brother often enough, so he invites his brother-in-law and his family along on their family vacation.
The brother-in-law according to his wife never sticks with anything and he tells Mark that he is worried about the political climate of the world. I’m not sure, but I think Mark is eyeing the young male lifeguard, but never acknowledges it and, nothing really makes sense. After reading this, all I have to say is, “What was that?�
December 1, 2024
What was that all about? I didn’t understand the purpose of this book at all.
The main character is beyond strange—I was getting creepy, borderline pedophile vibes from him. Those thoughts while holding those kids? What was that? And is he supposed to be gay or something? I’m confused.
I didn’t like this. No twist, no mystery, no point. And that ending? Yikes.
The main character is beyond strange—I was getting creepy, borderline pedophile vibes from him. Those thoughts while holding those kids? What was that? And is he supposed to be gay or something? I’m confused.
I didn’t like this. No twist, no mystery, no point. And that ending? Yikes.
September 7, 2022
2.5 ⭐️ - i loved the “what is happening� vibe of leave the world behind, but this short story really didn’t give a hint of what was going on. I mean maybe a mild mild hint, but I had no clue what was happening. And not really in a good way. So far this is definitely my least favorite of the getaway series of thriller short stories
September 6, 2022
Strange... dark..kind of crazy.
September 12, 2022
Book 6 in the Getaway series. WORST BOOK I HAVE EVER READ!!! Whoever chose this to go with the other 5 books in the series failed miserably, and what a bummer to finish off the series with. Between the misleading synopsis & by including this in an otherwise good group of short stories, I feel like I was tricked actually. Zero point to this book. Weird/bad writing. Also some disturbing (pedophelia basically) content. 💯 skip this book!! I will never read anything by this author after wasting my time on this.
September 14, 2022
One trademark of Rumaan Alam's writing is his exploration of family dynamic and how outward perfection masks roiling tension underneath. My problem with this inclusion in the Getaway series is I wish there were more, that this seemed to be an interlude in a bigger story.
November 3, 2024
1⭐️ Boring and nonsensical!!
This is part of the Amazon Getaway Series, I think I have read one or two others. This one was terrible. The story was nonsense and made very little sense. It was also incredibly boring. I didn’t know I could read something so short and wish there was less pages.
There is as other reviewers have alluded to some really creepy undertones in this one where the MMC is lusting after a much younger pool boy and its kind of left of field and super gross.
Not for me.
This is part of the Amazon Getaway Series, I think I have read one or two others. This one was terrible. The story was nonsense and made very little sense. It was also incredibly boring. I didn’t know I could read something so short and wish there was less pages.
There is as other reviewers have alluded to some really creepy undertones in this one where the MMC is lusting after a much younger pool boy and its kind of left of field and super gross.
Not for me.
February 2, 2023
2.5 stars
September 3, 2022
I think I missed the point of this one.
September 14, 2022
Terrible
Boring and borderline off-putting. The main character gave serious creepy vibes. What was even the point of the story?? I have no idea.
Boring and borderline off-putting. The main character gave serious creepy vibes. What was even the point of the story?? I have no idea.
November 18, 2022
Snooze fest. This made no sense and I did not care for the narrator on Audible.
October 8, 2022
Difficult to rate.
I struggled rating this book. It was definitely nothing remarkable, likely one I will forget in the not too far future other than the title I found extremely appropriate, but yet- it certainly had me focused on the characters, their lives, the events, and making comparisons to real life.
It was this last part that held my attention, how this book could have been the typical life of any neighbor's life story, that is what intrigued me most. It's fascinating how we go through our daily routine and without ever really knowing the people neighbors, relatives, often those that live with us, and even there are times we don't fully know our own self.
This book brings all this out in a strange family dynamic that could exist in any family.
Best description of this book I believe is it is thought provoking.
I struggled rating this book. It was definitely nothing remarkable, likely one I will forget in the not too far future other than the title I found extremely appropriate, but yet- it certainly had me focused on the characters, their lives, the events, and making comparisons to real life.
It was this last part that held my attention, how this book could have been the typical life of any neighbor's life story, that is what intrigued me most. It's fascinating how we go through our daily routine and without ever really knowing the people neighbors, relatives, often those that live with us, and even there are times we don't fully know our own self.
This book brings all this out in a strange family dynamic that could exist in any family.
Best description of this book I believe is it is thought provoking.
November 27, 2023
Okay I saw everyone dragging this and it made me even more curious but they were right. It's pointless and weird.
December 29, 2023
I really enjoyed this last installment of the getaway collection. It’s a very short story about a vacation with extended family.
January 22, 2023
Not much happened in this one. Mark describes his family vacation with his wife Rachel, her twin Geoff, and the 4 kids they all have. Most reviews have mentioned Mark’s creepy thoughts about the teenage lifeguard and confusion about Geoff. Geoff was written so vague that I’m not even sure of his role in the story. Unemployed…racist?…loud mouthed…can’t vote? Does he die at the end? Not even sure.
I feel like it was mostly about the baby Chase. Way more was written about him than any other character!
I didn’t like Leave the World Behind either so this author just may not be for me.
I feel like it was mostly about the baby Chase. Way more was written about him than any other character!
I didn’t like Leave the World Behind either so this author just may not be for me.
December 30, 2022
I have no idea what I just read.
August 15, 2023
I do not understand the point of this. This is supposed to be a short psychological thriller?? Nothing literally happened.
Just weird and I didn't even understand anything in the book.
Just weird and I didn't even understand anything in the book.
September 11, 2022
Rumaan Alan has a gift for writing stories that make the reader feel uncomfortable. This story of a Summer vacation on Cape Cod is told from the viewpoint of Mark, whose vampiristic lust for youth felt borderline creepy to me. During the week’s fun Mark learns his wife’s twin brother Geoff can’t vote, has trouble holding a job, is a bully with a desire to create a very disturbing & racist phone app. The brief ending is very dark and makes you rethink everything you just read. 4 shells 🐚🐚🐚🐚
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 28, 2023
I think this one was my least favorite. It was an odd story, about a family vacation and juggling the types of personalities that are going to conflict when taking multiple families, even related, on a trip for an extended time. It was odd little story, crass is parts (when I wasn't sure why) and did a lot of reflecting on being a dad. Just didn't pull me in like the others (and seems an odd match with the other stories).
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