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Played Your Eyes
A fantasy about a woman bequeathed an odd gift by a former lover who broke up with her, then died—his handwriting. Why did he do this and what does it mean? Find out in Jonathan Carroll's Played Your Eyes.
At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.
At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.
23 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 4, 2018
15 people are currently reading
100 people want to read
About the author
Jonathan Carroll
129 books1,169 followersJonathan Carroll (b. 1949) is an award-winning American author of modern fantasy and slipstream novels. His debut book, The Land of Laughs (1980), tells the story of a children’s author whose imagination has left the printed page and begun to influence reality. The book introduced several hallmarks of Carroll’s writing, including talking animals and worlds that straddle the thin line between reality and the surreal, a technique that has seen him compared to South American magical realists.
Outside the Dog Museum (1991) was named the best novel of the year by the British Fantasy Society, and has proven to be one of Carroll’s most popular works. Since then he has written the Crane’s View trilogy, Glass Soup (2005) and, most recently, The Ghost in Love (2008). His short stories have been collected in The Panic Hand (1995) and The Woman Who Married a Cloud (2012). He continues to live and write in Vienna.
Outside the Dog Museum (1991) was named the best novel of the year by the British Fantasy Society, and has proven to be one of Carroll’s most popular works. Since then he has written the Crane’s View trilogy, Glass Soup (2005) and, most recently, The Ghost in Love (2008). His short stories have been collected in The Panic Hand (1995) and The Woman Who Married a Cloud (2012). He continues to live and write in Vienna.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews
June 26, 2020
His handwriting. He bequeathed his handwriting to her.
although it has only happened twice before today, one of my favorite things is seeing jonathan carroll’s name pop up on the free tor short page. and although i am "only" giving this story three stars, it’s yet another thought-provoking premise from one of my all-time favorite writers, so it's not that it was only "meh" or anything; it just felt like it needed a few more turns in carroll's rock-tumbler-brain to make it shine.
assorted nonspoilery but confusing to people who haven't read it (yet) reactions: i know that the character goes through life changes both ordinary and extraordinary between the beginning and end of the story, but some things are psychologically hard-wired, and someone who needs to check the stove multiple times before feeling safe, who washes new clothes because of unknown touches/toxins, who does... whatever that was with the french fries - i just don't see her making the decision she does at the end. she is someone who feels safer in knowing things, and she is essentially a fearful, fretful person, even though she's happier now than she has been before. a story this short doesn't give enough space to develop a character from point a to point b alll the way over there, but it's definitely something carroll could have done convincingly in a longer book - he ain't no slouch! between that and not having a strong enough sense of how this ... system works, contribution-wise, is what makes this only a medium read for me. i don't mind not knowing all the answers - carroll always makes sure to leave things a little ambiguous, and i liked this moment in the story very much:
because i love this habit he has of keeping things vague and refusing to commit to an explanation. but again - it's a big idea for so short a story, and there's a lot to process, so to have the character behave against type and the - what to call it? - the technique be veiled in mystery along with the ... beneficiaries of the process, well, it's a pretty idea but it's too wispy to be a story. i liked it, for all the delicious jc-motifs and phrasings, and i eagerly await more - stories, novels, grocery lists - whatever he's got rattling around i will devour.
read it for yourself here:
https://www.tor.com/2018/04/04/played...
come to my blog!
although it has only happened twice before today, one of my favorite things is seeing jonathan carroll’s name pop up on the free tor short page. and although i am "only" giving this story three stars, it’s yet another thought-provoking premise from one of my all-time favorite writers, so it's not that it was only "meh" or anything; it just felt like it needed a few more turns in carroll's rock-tumbler-brain to make it shine.
assorted nonspoilery but confusing to people who haven't read it (yet) reactions: i know that the character goes through life changes both ordinary and extraordinary between the beginning and end of the story, but some things are psychologically hard-wired, and someone who needs to check the stove multiple times before feeling safe, who washes new clothes because of unknown touches/toxins, who does... whatever that was with the french fries - i just don't see her making the decision she does at the end. she is someone who feels safer in knowing things, and she is essentially a fearful, fretful person, even though she's happier now than she has been before. a story this short doesn't give enough space to develop a character from point a to point b alll the way over there, but it's definitely something carroll could have done convincingly in a longer book - he ain't no slouch! between that and not having a strong enough sense of how this ... system works, contribution-wise, is what makes this only a medium read for me. i don't mind not knowing all the answers - carroll always makes sure to leave things a little ambiguous, and i liked this moment in the story very much:
“Who are they?”
If she expected him to say something stunning like God or aliens, she was disappointed. He shook his head and smiled. “I have no idea. The only thing I’ve been told is that the answer is so complex it’s like string theory multiplied by a hundred.”
because i love this habit he has of keeping things vague and refusing to commit to an explanation. but again - it's a big idea for so short a story, and there's a lot to process, so to have the character behave against type and the - what to call it? - the technique be veiled in mystery along with the ... beneficiaries of the process, well, it's a pretty idea but it's too wispy to be a story. i liked it, for all the delicious jc-motifs and phrasings, and i eagerly await more - stories, novels, grocery lists - whatever he's got rattling around i will devour.
read it for yourself here:
https://www.tor.com/2018/04/04/played...
come to my blog!
January 12, 2021
Jonathan Carroll writes the quirkiest fantasies, really just off the wall in (usually) delightful ways. In the hands of most other authors his strange plots would make me roll my eyes, but Carroll’s thoughtful and insightful writing carries me off to places I never imagined, but I enjoy the ride.
It doesn’t work like that, she tells the lawyer, who shrugs and tells her that it can be done. She is disbelieving, but in fact it’s true. Every now and then, and then more often as she becomes more accepting, instead of her crabbed, ugly scrawling she finds herself writing in his gorgeous, almost almost calligraphic script. And sometimes her hand writes words she didn’t intend, that seem to be a message from her former lover.
You don’t want to think about Carroll’s stories too hard or they tend to fray, but this is a lovely little fantasy with a positive message.
Read it online here at Tor.com: https://www.tor.com/2018/04/04/played...
Yet no matter how much she had tried to clear her thoughts of him afterward, he stayed in her mind and memory all these months later like one of those maddening translucent floaters in the eye that slide lazily around from corner to corner, blurring your vision. Eventually they move off to one side of the eye or other for a while, but never completely go away.A woman’s former boyfriend, someone she’d had both amazingly good and awful times with, dies. In his will he leaves her ... his handwriting.
It doesn’t work like that, she tells the lawyer, who shrugs and tells her that it can be done. She is disbelieving, but in fact it’s true. Every now and then, and then more often as she becomes more accepting, instead of her crabbed, ugly scrawling she finds herself writing in his gorgeous, almost almost calligraphic script. And sometimes her hand writes words she didn’t intend, that seem to be a message from her former lover.
You don’t want to think about Carroll’s stories too hard or they tend to fray, but this is a lovely little fantasy with a positive message.
Read it online here at Tor.com: https://www.tor.com/2018/04/04/played...
February 7, 2024
Played Your Eyes hits all the notes that I most crave from a Jonathan Carroll story. It starts with a failed relationship, with all of Carroll’s unique perspective on the odd undercurrents of romantic love. Then there’s the signature Carroll magic realism, as something extraordinary and impossible happens, though manifesting in the seemingly mundane and ordinary — in this case, our protagonist learns that her dead ex has bequeathed her his beautiful handwriting in his will. And just as we are settling in for an odd story of this impossible gift’s impact on the protagonist’s life, Carroll raises the stakes, turns up the heat, and expands this small magic into Cosmic significance — something dealing with the fundamental nature of reality and humanity’s role in it. As an extra added bonus, Carroll even gives us a perfect ending, not explaining (Carroll doesn’t explain his magic, really, it would ruin it) but leaving us on exactly the right note to wrap up this tale.
This minor gem is available free on line. 4 1/2 ⭐️
https://reactormag.com/played-your-ey...
This minor gem is available free on line. 4 1/2 ⭐️
https://reactormag.com/played-your-ey...
January 3, 2021
So karen has been telling me for years to read something by Jonathan Carroll, so I've been collecting his books at used bookstores for years, but until I read this short, I'd never yet read anything. Now, after reading this short story which actually was not one of karen's favorites, I know I need to read more. Because this story was exquisite. And unique. And original. And I loved it.
And this is going to be a short review, because I just do not have words to describe the beauty of this story or how it made me feel. It is in turns a fantasy that discusses the complexity of grief and moving on, but also about how sometimes knowledge is sometimes a curse rather than a blessing. The characters were all richly nuanced, and the ending was perfect.
And that's all I'm saying. If you're curious you just have to go read it for yourself here:
https://www.tor.com/2018/04/04/played...
Day twenty-one in my November challenge where I try to read one science fiction or fantasy short story a day.
And this is going to be a short review, because I just do not have words to describe the beauty of this story or how it made me feel. It is in turns a fantasy that discusses the complexity of grief and moving on, but also about how sometimes knowledge is sometimes a curse rather than a blessing. The characters were all richly nuanced, and the ending was perfect.
And that's all I'm saying. If you're curious you just have to go read it for yourself here:
https://www.tor.com/2018/04/04/played...
Day twenty-one in my November challenge where I try to read one science fiction or fantasy short story a day.
April 6, 2018
I wanted to like this story, but the twist was just too absurd for me. So two-thirds of it was a good story, but the reveal ruined the ending.
April 8, 2018
I really liked this odd little story - particularly the ending. The description of falling in love was just gorgeous.
April 7, 2018
I really enjoyed this. The idea is abstract, but I like that. The reveal at the end was one part beautiful and one part disappointing. I like and respect that the heroine stayed true to feel
herself and I like what she learned about her past, but her choice let me down a bit anyway. Otherwise great, winding, and satisfying.
herself and I like what she learned about her past, but her choice let me down a bit anyway. Otherwise great, winding, and satisfying.
April 4, 2018
It's not often that you read a tale where the main character actually ultimately refuses the call of adventure. I guess that's why this one was a short story and not a novel!
February 10, 2019
"A fantasy about a woman bequeathed an odd gift by a former lover who broke up with her, then died—his handwriting. Why did he do this and what does it mean?"I was kind of feeling sad earlier for no apparent reason, and of course the only coping mechanism I did was to read! This wasn't a letdown at all and oddly heartwarming despite its predictability. There's not much purple prose found in here and could hook you in because of how fluent and easy the prose is. It's short and nice to read. Not really special but this makes me want to read more Tor Shorts again. That's a wonderful title actually!
You can find this storyhere.
November 27, 2025
A woman receives an unusual bequest from an old boyfriend and a very unusual offer.
A beautiful concept and very beautifully written.
A beautiful concept and very beautifully written.
dnf
September 13, 2018A perfect example of a good idea done unjust with bad writing and a heavy-handed overzealous plot. I had enough at page 20 (of 25) and don't actually care how it ends, as I don't think it ended soon enough.
July 29, 2018
Lovely author's voice, but the 'we only use ten percent of our brain' thing threw me off. I kept thinking about this lecture I once visited about the people with brain injuries or people lacking one of the cerebral hemispheres living normal lives and etc. Also I expected the story to be creepier. The premise is pretty creepy, and I thought it would be the story of dealing with the effect of the abusive relationship after the abuser's death, and it sort of was (?), only there it twist in the end that renders this plotline meaningless. It's a shame, really, this story could have been superb.
Read the story at tor.com: https://www.tor.com/2018/04/04/played...
Read the story at tor.com: https://www.tor.com/2018/04/04/played...
April 13, 2019
Setting presentation, design and originality (how cool is the setting?): 2
Setting verisimillitude and detail (how much sense does the setting make?): 3
Plot design, presentation and originality (How well-crafted was the plot, in the dramaturgic sense?): 4
Plot and character verisimillitude (How much sense did the plot and motivations make? Did events follow from motivations?): 3
Characterization and character development: 3
Character sympatheticness: 2
Prose: 3
Page turner factor: 1
Mind blown factor: 1
Final (weighted) score: 2.1
Available at: https://www.tor.com/2018/04/04/played...
Setting verisimillitude and detail (how much sense does the setting make?): 3
Plot design, presentation and originality (How well-crafted was the plot, in the dramaturgic sense?): 4
Plot and character verisimillitude (How much sense did the plot and motivations make? Did events follow from motivations?): 3
Characterization and character development: 3
Character sympatheticness: 2
Prose: 3
Page turner factor: 1
Mind blown factor: 1
Final (weighted) score: 2.1
Available at: https://www.tor.com/2018/04/04/played...
December 31, 2018
The lawyer, a handsome man with a gleaming bald head and the supreme slick confidence of a Rolls-Royce salesman, smiled a little condescendingly at her before answering, “He left you his handwriting. When we were drawing up his will, he happened to mention you loved his handwriting. So—now it’s yours.” The tone of his voice said: Okay, that’s that—the topic is finished.
I like Carroll's stuff but this felt a little under-baked.
(three and a half stars)
August 5, 2018
What a wonderful and beautiful little gem. It perfectly expresses things I've felt about certain moments being perfect, and wanting the future to be a mystery I will discover. Also a piece I will return to when I need guidance on how to write a short story.
April 9, 2018
A lovely gentle, if strange, story which I much enjoyed. The premise of the story is rather unbelievable which is why it did not get the final star but, so what?
The Tor.com original stories online - usually two or three a month - are of the highest quality and free to read. Thank you Tor.com!
The Tor.com original stories online - usually two or three a month - are of the highest quality and free to read. Thank you Tor.com!
January 5, 2021
Lovely, free read from Tor. I will have to say that the added flavor of listening to the referenced song of "Raglan Road" sung by Sinead O'Connor gave me particular pleasure.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T6zqb...
https://www.tor.com/2018/04/04/played...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T6zqb...
https://www.tor.com/2018/04/04/played...
February 13, 2022
Actual Rating - 4.5
Okay, that was unique. The reason it's not 5 stars is because we never get to know more about the world building. It was interesting about the historians but I wanted to know who *they* were.
Okay, that was unique. The reason it's not 5 stars is because we never get to know more about the world building. It was interesting about the historians but I wanted to know who *they* were.
May 17, 2018
This is one of those stories I wouldn't have gotten from the library, but reading on tor.com is fine. It was pretty good. And had some unexpected twists. Very nice.
September 21, 2018
Can't get more out of it than an "ok".
Written ok, story ok; maybe a little fuzzy; emotional.
Leaves you sad and a little confused...
Written ok, story ok; maybe a little fuzzy; emotional.
Leaves you sad and a little confused...
December 3, 2018
There was no introduction to it.
It was just very short and very sweet.
Loved it.
It was just very short and very sweet.
Loved it.
January 15, 2019
I liked it until the ending, which felt like a letdown. Her answer was understandable, though. I would've given the same answer.
November 5, 2019
Classic Jonathan Carroll - love his stories!
Want to read
January 5, 2021Digital short story four here: https://www.tor.com/2018/04/04/played...
August 23, 2022
What an amazing short story. What would you do if your deceased ex- boyfriend gifts you the weirdest gift in his will- His Handwriting? A beautiful, touching story. Not to be missed.
September 29, 2024
I thought that played your eyes coming from was clever
March 3, 2019
This is one of the most intriguing short stories I have read this year so far. It is hard to review without giving away too much, but this is the story of a woman bequeathed an odd fantastic gift by a former lover who broke up with her, then died: his handwriting. Why did he do this and what does it mean? Did he just gift her his handwriting or something more?
I am looking forward reading more by this author.
I am looking forward reading more by this author.
March 20, 2019
This was an interesting one. It felt almost like a world setup, the initial ideas for exploring a wider setting. The story itself was a little so so, a bit of a romantic comedy trope. Overall pretty good short story.
January 16, 2019
"Future Works" by Idlewild
Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews