I honestly do not know how to even discuss this book. Flynn drops unsuspecting surprises on the reader at every turn. By the end of the book, I detested both Amy and Nick. And when I turned the final page, I just felt disgust at the story. Yet, kudos to the author for pulling off this story with such talent and skill. Disgust and admiration. Who knew these two things could go together?!?
What did you think of Gone Girl? Do you recommend Flynn's other novels?
Based on the one book of hers that I read (Dark Places) Flynn is a talented writer, just not for me. There weren't any characters that I liked... which isn't necessarily a deal-breaker, but in that case I need something else I can connect with, something to invest in... good writing and a mild curiosity to see how the story ends just isn't enough.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, I didn't read Gone Girl. I figured it would probably be more of the same.
Charleen @ Cheap Thrills ... Characters are something that are very important to me. They are usually what really get me connected to a book and make me love it or not. I just did not love these characters at all!
DeleteI definitely felt the disgust you're talking about it. At a level that made me not enjoy it. Blarg.
ReplyDeleteAndi ... I just felt dirty at the end of the book!
DeleteI read all Flynn's novels because I won all three from readitforward.com.
ReplyDeleteAlmost all of GONE GIRL is a five-star book, i.e., it deserves the highest rating. Every page of the book builds more and more tension. It really is the best kind of book: unputdownable.
But the last part of the book gets a little stupid, silly. And the end: other reviewers have said that it comes as a surprise. True. But I didn't like it. It is as if Flynn couldn't think of an end to the story so just stopped.
Personally, I think the end should be rewritten.
DARK PLACES was written by Flynn before she wrote GONE GIRL. Although the two books are different, DARK PLACES is every bit as good as GONE GIRL, and I encourage you to read it. It's a five-star book.
This book begins with a declaration by one main character that will interest you right away. There's no wait of several pages or chapters here, no wondering whether you should give up after page 50.
From there, you will learn, little by little, of an event 30 years ago. You think you see what happened until you see it from another main character's perspective. And every chapter divulges more and more information.
I see in DARK PLACES as well as Flynn's other two books that she has a definite style. That is, all three of her books grab your attention on page 1 and tell the story from different points of view while going back and forth in time.
DARK PLACES should have been the success that GONE GIRL is. Who knows why it wasn't; it really is that good. But I predict that it will be recognized more now when readers of GONE GIRL become curious, as I did, to read Flynn's other books.
As for SHARP OBJECTS, it appears to me that Flynn likes deeply flawed characters with psychological problems who have dysfunctional families. In SHARP OBJECTS, it seems EVERY character has flaws and at least one phychological problem. But the main character, Camille Preaker, beats them all.
Preaker comes back to the small town where she grew up to report on a double murder there for the Chicago newspaper she works for. It seems everything she does involves alcohol. She drinks so much that it is unbelievable she can accomplish her investigative reporting duties. But investigate she does, always one step behind her policeman friend, Richard. And boy does she drink all the while!
But the drinking isn't as bad as the cutting, I guess.
While visiting her home town, Preaker stays with her mother, stepfather, and 13-year-old half sister. Here lies SHARP OBJECT's greatest mystery. It is Flynn's trick to make you make you feel undecided about these people throughout the book. Although it's easy to see they're dysfunctional, you won't know their true selves until the end. Please don't let any other book review tell you more about them and spoil that for you.
techeditor ... Wow!! Thank you so much for all the info!! I am pretty curious about these other books and will add them to my list. I'm not sure I will make them a priority right now, but I am definitely intrigued enough to not have them on the bottom of the list either! I'm particularly interested in DARK PLACES, and will avoid other reviews for SHARP OBJECTS now just in case!! Thank you again!!
DeleteI did like Gone Girl because it is so different. You can't like these characters but the story is so interesting.
ReplyDeleteChrisbookarama ... I think I liked the way that Flynn wrote the book, but those characters are definitely not likable! I'm curious about her other novels though. Have you read either of them?
DeleteI liked this one quite a bit. It was quite enjoyable, even though I didn't like any of the characters. Since then, I came across a few books similar to it, but haven't been able to enjoy any of those as much.
ReplyDeleteAthira ... I liked the writing and I was impressed the author was able to get such a strong reaction out of me. But, I also have a hard time getting past my dislike for the characters!! I guess you could say, I have very mixed feelings about it! :)
DeleteHey Tif- I think the fact that I didn't like the characters is what made it so intriguing to me. That someone could be this twisted- that an author could be this twisted, I guess- to do all of this. Glad you can say you've read it!!! =)
ReplyDeleteMandy, The Mother of All Chaos ... I'm glad I read it and I think the author is very talented to be able to pull this off. I just have a hard time getting over those horrible characters!! :)
DeleteThis was quite a book and I really couldn't decide who was more despicable. Guess they are the kind of characters you love to hate. That being said, the story was so gruesomely twisted, I couldnt put it down. I haven't read her others but I would like to!!
ReplyDeleteTanya @ Mom's Small Victories ... I am definitely intrigued enough to read her other books as well! I was impressed with the author, even if I wasn't with her characters! :)
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