Problems With a Girl & a Unicorn: A Short Story [Kindle Edition]

Nick Earls (Author), Exciting Press (Editor)

Book Description

The girl seems so sensible. Responsible, even. Stanley doesn’t mind sharing a flat with her.

The unicorn isn’t so accommodating.


"Earls' prolific oeuvre of 12 novels and two short-story collections has steadily built him an international reputation as a contemporary writer who makes comic yardage--from subtle irony to groan-out-loud gags--out of the emotional entanglements of decent men during episodes of self-evaluation and transformation."
-Sydney Morning Herald

"Contemporary, cliché-free Australian fiction that is sure to have a very wide appeal."
-The Australian

"Earls' appeal is his skill for developing lovable, self-deprecating Aussie males in the 18-40 year-old range."
-Stage Whispers

"Earls paints the battle of the sexes as a friendly duel with plenty of promising common ground, and readers should enjoy this amiable, well-crafted and genuinely romantic book."
-Publishers Weekly on "Perfect Skin"

"Nick Earls is on a literary trail trodden by J.D. Salinger . . . Where this at times very funny and insistently poignant novel achieves its momentum is in the careful pacing of character and slow release of emotions."
-The Age on "Monica Bloom"

Product Details

• File Size: 102 KB
• Print Length: 16 pages
• Simultaneous Device Usage: Unlimited
• Publisher: Exciting Press (December 18, 2011)
• Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
• Language: English
• ASIN: B006NQPYS8
• Text-to-Speech: Enabled
• X-Ray: Not Enabled
• Lending: Enabled
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #542,572 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars Certainly Different! July 30, 2012

By Grampy

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

Talk about your basic personality conflicts! This "interesting" tale involves, not surprisingly, a guy, a girl, and a unicorn. They are roommates, with the girl being the most recent one to join the household. The unicorn does not like the girl, and she reciprocates in kind. The poor boy is left trying to make peace with both, but not with any success. The bulk of the tale consists of the unicorn and the boy sitting on the back porch, where the unicorn smokes cigarettes while complaining about the girl. His current rant is that he is absolutely convinced the girl is actually defecating in the "reading room", and sticking scented paper "up her end". He finds it absolutely, unacceptably disgusting that anyone would defecate inside the house! Apparently she feels the garden isn't good enough for her, and the unicorn wants the boy to have a talk with her about this abhorrent practice of hers. It does not end well.

This was a rather clever concept for a tale. Other than that, I don't know whether to say it was cute, or funny, or gross, or entertaining, or just plain weird! There was way too much profanity for the younger set (who knew unicorns were so foul-mouthed?), so I absolutely recommend against getting this for anyone under 18, even though they've heard all those words since elementary school. I gave it 3 stars because, in some strange way, I DID kind of like it, but I surely couldn't say why. My best advice would be to grab a copy while it's free, and see what YOU think. Then post a review, so others can get a clearer picture of what they might think about it.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Problems with a Girl & a Unicorn April 7, 2012

By Louise Forster

Format:Kindle Edition

I downloaded Problems With a Girl and a Unicorn, and enjoyed every word. The story is refreshing and a delight to read. Nick Earls draws his characters with such ease you know this trio well from the first page. It's a delight to read about the house sharing trio. The end did surprise me! I had envisaged something else entirely, which is a perfect way to end a story.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Nick Hornby Meets Franz Kafka April 20, 2012

By Martin Lastrapes

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

If Franz Kafka and Nick Hornby had a love child, which was later adopted and raised by Tom Robbins, that kid would probably grow up to one day write "Problems With a Girl & a Unicorn." Thankfully, readers like myself don't have to hold their breath waiting for a hypothetical love child, thanks to Nick Earls and his inventive imagination. "Problems With a Girl & a Unicorn" was my first exposure to Earls' writing and I can't wait to read more. Highly recommended.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A fantastic collection! April 2, 2012

By ChrisWhiteWrites

Format:Kindle Edition

Problems with a Girl & a Unicorn is probably one of the best collections of short stories from the pen of an Australian writer since Banjo Patterson (so ever, in other words.) Nick Earls is a master,and this collection ranges from the deeply moving to the farcical. A must download - particularly because it's currently free!

5.0 out of 5 stars Brief but fun March 17, 2013

By Kelly Gillin

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

easy to read and a great giggle. This won't be the last time that I grab a Nick Earls book.

4.0 out of 5 stars Amusing January 29, 2013

By Coramarie

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

The book is an amusing. short story about a unicorn a boy and a girl. In the beginning it is quite amusing with a tragic almost humorous ending. All in all it was good.

3.0 out of 5 stars Odd little story, but good January 26, 2013

By Jacquelyn Bowser

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

I am a life-long reader of fantasy and sci-fi. To begin with, regardless of the word "unicorn" in the title, this is not a fantasy story. It is more or a commentary on living with roomates and the human condition, with a black-humor twist. Reminded me a little bit of some Peter S Beagel short stories. All in all, I found the writing style good, the viewpoint unique and refreshing, and the story breif, but solid.

5.0 out of 5 stars Very entertaining January 12, 2013

By H. M. Hughes

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

I didn't expect a trash talking unicorn but was it was very amusing. I'm Glad I read it. . .

More About the Author

Nick Earls is not technically gifted, so his photo often ends up sideways, typically when he least expects it to. Give him some words to work with, though, and it's a different story.

Reputable reviewers have compared his work with that of Nick Hornby, Raymond Carver, Martin Amis, VS Naipaul, JD Salinger, Woody Allen and Jeffrey Eugenides, which just goes to show that, if you write enough and publish enough, anything can come your way.

Nick Earls writes long, short and medium-sized fiction, so far including twelve novels and numerous shorter works, many of which are now available as Kindle ebooks.

He is the winner of a Betty Trask Award (UK) and Children's Book Council of Australia Book of the Year Award. Perfect Skin was the only novel to be a finalist in the Australian Comedy Awards in 2003, and was adapted into a feature film in Italy (Solo un Padre, Warner Brothers/Cattleya). 48 Shades of Brown was a Kirkus Reviews (US) book of the year selection, and was adapted into a feature film in Australia (Buena Vista/Prima). Five of his novels have been adapted into stage plays.

He has also written for newspapers, including the New York Times, the Australian and the Sydney Morning Herald.

His novels have appeared on bestseller lists in Australia, the UK and, as of December 2012, the Amazon Kindle Store.

He was born in Northern Ireland, but has spent most of his life in Australia. In 2012, the Age included him among its top ten Greatest Living Australians (along with Bob Hawke, Warwick Capper and Shane Warne ...). He placed 12th in a 2013 poll of Australia's all-time favourite novelists.