Gone Girl was the HIGHLY anticipated release by Gillian Flynn last year. I was so excited to get my hands on this one and I purchased it shortly after it was released in June. At the time I was in the middle of another good book and didn't want to confuse plots. I lent the book to a friend and she in turn let her husband read it... I didn't end up with it back in my hands until about 3 weeks ago. Maybe the fact that it took two people over 6 months to finish reading and get around to giving me back the book should have been an indication of the novel itself. If it was 'scream from the mountain tops' good, I'm sure it would have been devoured and passed on quickly. It wasn't. However, I did have high hopes for Gone Girl. I loved Gillian Flynn's other two books and had held off reading almost ALL reviews of the book so I went in unbiased. Gone Girl is an intense mystery and I hoped it would hold my attention like her other novels did.
Marriage can be a real killer.
On a warm summer morning in North Carthage, Missouri, it is Nick and Amy Dunne’s fifth wedding anniversary. Presents are being wrapped and reservations are being made when Nick’s clever and beautiful wife disappears from their rented McMansion on the Mississippi River. Husband-of-the-Year Nick isn’t doing himself any favors with cringe-worthy daydreams about the slope and shape of his wife’s head, but passages from Amy's diary reveal the alpha-girl perfectionist could have put anyone dangerously on edge. Under mounting pressure from the police and the media—as well as Amy’s fiercely doting parents—the town golden boy parades an endless series of lies, deceits, and inappropriate behavior. Nick is oddly evasive, and he’s definitely bitter—but is he really a killer?
As the cops close in, every couple in town is soon wondering how well they know the one that they love. With his twin sister, Margo, at his side, Nick stands by his innocence. Trouble is, if Nick didn’t do it, where is that beautiful wife? And what was in that silvery gift box hidden in the back of her bedroom closet?
With her razor-sharp writing and trademark psychological insight, Gillian Flynn delivers a fast-paced, devilishly dark, and ingeniously plotted thriller that confirms her status as one of the hottest writers around.
Sounds thrilling, right? I thought so. Plus, with Flynn's track record, I figured Gone Girl was bound to top my list of best reads in 2013. Unfortunately, that isn't exactly what happened....
Let's start with the good.... Ultimately, I did like the book. I may not have been totally blown away, but it was intense and interesting. I enjoy Flynn's writing... it is gritty and real. She is a strong writer and I think she does a good job developing character. Particularly in Amy- she did quite the job creating character for her. Those of you that have read it, you know what I'm saying here. Nick didn't have nearly as much depth as Amy, but I think Flynn still did a good job with him. Flynn did a fabulous job portraying both of them and altering them throughout the story which in turn allowed the reader to have many mixed feelings and pass judgement.
So here is what troubled me... Gone Girl was really hard to get into. I was not very interested and it did not hold my attention. Quite frankly, I was bored. The diary entries by Amy were dull and annoyed me (especially in the beginning). It was a good 100 pages before I was hooked, which in my opinion is MUCH too long. The other thing that bugged me was the flow- it was occasionally quite choppy, the way it swapped between narrators. Oh, and the ending. I HATED the ending... as in, chuck the book down and curse.
Overall, I ended up liking the book as a whole... it just took some time to get there. It was interesting and had a very Flynn twist to it. Even though I was super pissed off (no, really- I was angry about it) at the ending, I enjoyed the story as a whole.
Gone Girl is not a book I would recommend rushing out and buying... if you are interested, borrow from the library or a friend. You may like this book if you don't mind a slower paced beginning and plot framing. Those who enjoy a good mystery and a lot of twists would also likely enjoy this. Once you get into the meat of the novel, it does deliver.
If you've read Gone Girl... let me know what you thought. It has gotten many mixed reviews... I'm interested to see other opinions!
write to be understood, speak to be heard, read to grow
This book was on my TBR and is my 4th Mount TBR Reading Challenge title
This book was on my TBR and is my 4th Mount TBR Reading Challenge title
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