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There are currently 26 member reviews
for The Cleaner
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Jennifer B. (Oviedo, FL)
The Cleaner
Stream of consciousness writing is not a style of writing that usually appeals to me. However, I am delighted that I gave this book a try. It was well written and entertaining for the most part. The main character, "The Cleaner" was a clever deduction artist of personalities. Her insatiable curiosity about the people who worked where she cleaned each night was the impetus for her shenanigans in the office space when no one was around to see her. That said, I feel the book was a little lacking in action. After a while, I yearned for something of interest to happen besides the usual nightly cleaning. Perhaps a bit of mystery would have helped this book for me.
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MarciaS
Stalking in the Shadows
What an intriguing concept for a book— the nightshift cleaning lady getting to know the employees she never sees, through her discoveries (and snooping) while cleaning the company floors and desks. It's also amazing that her behind the scene efforts actually make some profound changes in the company. However, she's not always accurate in her analysis of the individuals or their situations. She did evoke emotions from me in respect that sometimes I felt empathy for her, and at other times, I was rather disgusted with her. It wasn't my favorite book but I find myself thinking about the main character often so it evidently made an impact on me.
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Michie S. (Herndon, VA)
Unusual main character
The Cleaner is a fascinating look at one woman's perception of her place in the work world. She cleans an office building but feels a responsibility for the people for whom she cleans up after, especially those on the fourth floor---the highest level employees. She wants to clean their desks AND their lives. I loved seeing how her mind worked. One thing is certain: I'll never take office cleaners for granted again!
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Dawn Z.
Strange book
Imagine reading the innermost thoughts of a cleaning woman as she sweeps and dusts an office building under the embrace of darkness. At first, her thoughts and actions appear mundane. However, it quickly becomes evident that she is actively searching through desks, gaining access to employees' computers, and reorganizing office items, all while pretending to "help" the company. Creepy, eh?
As the story unfolds, the main character's delusion becomes more pronounced, blurring the lines between reality and her distorted perception. With each page, I was left questioning the authenticity of the events, creating a sense of unease and anticipation for a shocking twist that could turn everything upside down. Except there was no shocking twist. The book was disappointing.
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Carmel B
The Cleaner
Office workers, from the CEO to the nightshift security guard, may enjoy this tragicomedy. Wells decided that her heroine should remain nameless, the “every-cleaner” in the “every office.” As an intelligent, imaginative, under-appreciated mother hen who harbors a generally low opinion of office workers, she is nevertheless dedicated to her job and to her sense of self-esteem. She is obsessive about her duties and responsibilities for “cleaning” up the workplace and its workforce. Her fantastical nightly escapades lead to surprising conclusions for her employer, her co-workers, and herself. Laugh out-loud reading plus an opportunity for introspection! I can envision this as a weekly tv series (with a few tweaks).
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N Kelley
Only average
This is a strange book. I can’t recommend it to anyone really. There were parts that rang true. In actual circumstances the cleaner could never got away with all her spying because someone from the company would have placed someone late at night to catch her in the act.
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Dianne
An interesting concept gone awry
The Cleaner by Brandi Wells imbeds the reader into the life of an unnamed office cleaner. Concepts of class, respect and morality are intertwined in this first person narrative.
The Cleaner is at times quite humorous but the incessant sardonic comments are repetitive. The void between the cleaner’s place in life and that of these 4th floor denizens is often harsh. The author missed a chance to explore deeper issues of class by delving into why the cleaner escapes into fantasy.
Finally, a cleaning crew did clean my office for many years. I could not imagine my potential feelings of violation if I became aware my desk and computer being fair game. It certainly soured my assessment of The Cleaner.
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