Review : Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn
Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn
Pages : 415
Genre : Fiction, Suspense
Stand Alone
My rating : 4,5/5
What it’s about :
When his wife Amy disappears on their fifth wedding anniversary, Nick is at a loss; and when clues seem to point to him as the main suspect, he knows he has to find the truth quickly if he doesn’t want to spend the rest of his life in prison. But as we follow Nick’s attempts to clear his name, Amy reveals in her diary what seemed to be a less than perfect marriage. Between the two spouses, truth and lies are sometimes hard to tell; and if Nick didn’t do it, what happened to Amy?
Gone Girl has been everywhere in the recent weeks; making its place on the blogs, crawling to the top of lists on Goodreads, receiving glorious reviews in the media. Eh, even Reese Whitherspoon got a piece of it by deciding to produce the movie! So, it’s probably not the last we’re hearing of Gillian Flynn’s twisted novel.
I wasn’t sure what I was in for as I started reading Gone Girl; if you’ve been around my blog for a while, you’ll know that as much as I love a dual narrative, I am rarely satisfied with how it is handled. Luckily, Flynn successfully alternated the voices of Nick’s narration and Amy’s diary, giving us two point of views that came together well, all the while telling two very different stories. The author definitely knows how to keep a reader hooked to the page, both with an intriguing mystery and complex characters.
There is a comment I have heard from many readers of Gone Girl that I feel is important to take note of : if you find the first part boring, or not original enough, hang on for the second part. Seriously. Many reviews have said this, and I won’t be the one to tell you different. As soon as the second part begins, things take a different turn. I won’t say more as you are all better left unspoiled; but know that Gillian Flynn wrote a fascinating psychological page-turner that will keep you guessing as the story goes.
Chances are you won’t like the characters; I know I didn’t. Nick… well, for many reasons and one in particular that I can’t mention without revealing too much, wasn’t really likable. Amy was a bit different at the beginning, although she did sound a bit full of herself. But this novel really isn’t about “rooting” for one character or the other, so this wasn’t a problem for me. Also, they had strengths that still made them interesting to me, as flawed as they were.
And I can’t say more, really. I can’t tell you more about why I did or didn’t like the characters, if there were surprising twists and whether I predicted them or not, whether I liked the ending or not (and to be honest, I’m still not sure about this one). I can’t say anything, really, without risking revealing too much. If you plan to read the twisted story that is Gone Girl, then go in as blind as you can. It will be worth it.
I just got this last week and cant’ wait to read it – hopefully I can get to it soon.
Oh I hope you enjoy it too! I definitely had a hard time putting it down while I read it.
Flynn’s previous novel, Dark Places, was similar with the dual narrative and unlikeable characters. Excellent story, though. Perhaps I’ll give this one a try, too.
Oh, that’s interesting to know, since I really liked how she handled the dual narrative in this one! I’m planning on reading her previous novels really soon, hopefully I’ll enjoy them too.
Like you, I loved this book, but hated everyone in it. I think Go was alright, but when our book club discussed this one, there was an insane amount of crosstalk and excitement. It was a thriller that just blew me away, and I am looking forward to reading more of Flynn’s work. You did a great job of not spoiling the book in this review as well. Very messed up but intriguing read!
I agree, Go was alright! The lawyer also wasn’t too bad considering his reputation. I think finding the right balance between unlikable characters and a captivating story is really hard, but Flynn managed it beautifully.
And I’m glad to hear it wasn’t too spoilery! I had to delete and rewrite big parts of the review a few times before it was ready; sometimes just a few words can reveal a lot about a book!
Oh you’ve convinced me. I can’t wait to get my hands on a copy of this. Lovely review.
I can’t wait to hear what you think of this one! Seriously! Even if you end up not enjoying it, I just know you’ll write some fabulous critical review of it!
LIke you and Zibilee, I hated the characters but loved the book. Loved! Such a fantastic, unputdownable type of read! If you haven’t read her debut Sharp Objects, do pick that up as well. Dark stuff!
Interesting that you should mention that; I just ordered her two previous novels this weekend and they should be arriving soon this week. I haven’t decided yet whether I’ll pace myself or rush through them, but I’m very excited to be reading more of her work.
i think the first few parts of the story were great, but i feel like the ending left me wanting more! dont want to ruin the story for those who havent read the book, but it definitely left me hanging.
Glad to hear this is as good as everyone says! I’m really looking forward to reading it. I love a good mystery/thriller but I just haven’t had a lot of luck recently. Hope this one will turn it around!