Thursday, January 9, 2014

Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn

Gone GirlSummary:
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? (from GoodReads)


Review:
WHAT?! What did I just read?? Gone Girl was not what I was expecting at all. Everyone has been raving about it and I finally got around to reading this book. I was expecting a simple mystery... but the story is much more complicated.

The book jumps between Amy's diary and Nick's points-of-view so we get both perspectives. It's obvious that these are two very unreliable narrators; Nick even admits to lying to the police to the reader. The book is written so you can't tell if Nick did it or not, which I very much liked. Though I guessed part of the twist that comes at the halfway mark, there were plenty of other surprises throughout the novel. Nothing is as it seems in the story so expect to see the whole book world turned upside down. And that ending ... not expecting that at all! I loved how Gone Girl kept me on my toes.

The actual writing of Gone Girl is very good and sucks you right in. I couldn't put this book down. I wanted to know what happened next, especially with all the twists and turns. Your sympathies for each character change as you find out new information and it was a true roller coaster ride. I wish I could say more because I have so many thoughts, but I don't want to give anything away. All I can say is: READ THIS!!! You won't be disappointed.

Rating: 10 out of 10!!!
FTC: borrowed from the library.

2012/Weidenfeld & Nicolson/395 pages.

1 comment:

We Heart YA said...

YUUUUUP. Total mind-freak. Glad you enjoyed it! We can't say we "love" it, because holy cow they're all so unlikable, but dang did we zip through that book! And we can't wait for the movie.