Gone Girl | Book Review

Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Writing Technique: ★★★★ Gillian Flynn is either a genius writer or a certifiable sociopath. She wrote from the perspectives of Nick and Amy so convincingly and so differently, I was amazed. And terrified. I was genuinely disturbed by both of these people (but mostly...just the one. You know the one.) For that, I applaud Flynn. Dang good writing. Engrossing. Surprising. Ingenious.

Note on writing things that might be spoilery but might not: This is a FANTASTIC example of an unreliable narrator. Neither Nick nor Amy are exactly what they seem. And for much of the story, you really can't be sure you're getting the truth or the whole story. They are telling the story their way. Unreliable narrators are one of my favorite writing techniques. And this one takes the cake. Kudos!

Plot/Story Development: ★★★★ I loved the evolution of this story. I loved how information was seeped out gradually, and the reader has to pieces the puzzle together for a while. The ending is a killer, I think. So serious thrill and horror comes out as we learn what's really going on, and I liked feeling that chill of "What the heck is going to happen next?"

Character Development: ★★★ I don't think the characters actually change that much. Some, yes. But our understanding of them and their understanding of each other changes a lot. As characters, they are deep and complex and insane - literally - and fascinating to follow page to page. But they don't have a great character arc where you go - ah! lesson learned! Mostly you go - "wow...no matter how bad my life/marriage/younameit is, at least it's not and will never be this bad!"

Message/Theme: ★★★ Be careful who you marry. That's the great lesson here. Themes throughout include: love, hate, adultery, revenge, abuse, manipulation, psychological terror, the court of public opinion, psychosis, and other scary things... This isn't really the kind of book you read to teach you something or inspire you or show you a different perspective in life. It's something to read to freak yourself out, give yourself goosebumps, and walk away feeling better about your life.

Rating: R for a profundity of profanity, crude and graphic sexual language, and a major creep factor. Be warned - this book is heavy.

Audiobook Performance: ★★★★★ Julia Whelan and Kirby Heyborne are flawless voices for Amy and Nick. Their performances were spot on, lending humor and drama and fear and suspense. I loved hearing them tell this story. I highly recommend listening to this audiobook if you're interested in reading this book.

Overall: ★★★★ This was a fascinating read. I was hooked. I was creeped out. I was surprised. And ultimately I was quite satisfied with this thriller.



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