The Babysitter
The Babysitter
Fiction | Short Story | Adult | Published in 2014
Book Brief
Beta31
Short Story • Fiction
•
American Literature•
EducationSuburban Home • 1960s
2014
Adult
18+ years
Super Short Summary
In "The Babysitter" by Robert Coover, readers follow a babysitter through an evening of seemingly ordinary events that reveal multiple perspectives and imagined scenarios. The nonlinear narrative explores the boundaries between reality and fantasy, highlighting the complexity of human thoughts and desires during a routine babysitting job.
Mysterious
Dark
Unnerving
Suspenseful
Challenging
Reviews & Readership
259 ratings
Loved it
Mixed feelings
Not a fan
Review Roundup
The Babysitter by Robert Coover has been praised for its innovative narrative structure and exploration of mundane domestic life through a lens of surreal ambiguity. Some readers find its fragmented storytelling challenging, lacking clear resolution. Overall, the novella is celebrated for its bold experimentation but may not appeal to those preferring linear narratives.
Who Should Read The Babysitter?
A reader who enjoys The Babysitter by Robert Coover is likely drawn to experimental narratives and dark, psychological storytelling. Fans of modernist and postmodernist literature, such as The Crying of Lot 49 by Thomas Pynchon or Naked Lunch by William S. Burroughs, would appreciate this fragmented and surreal tale.
259 ratings
Loved it
Mixed feelings
Not a fan
31
Short Story • Fiction
•
American Literature•
EducationSuburban Home • 1960s
2014
Adult
18+ years
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