Gone Girl

Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn

Hardcover: 432 pages
Publisher: Crown; First Edition edition (June 5, 2012)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 030758836X
ISBN-13: 978-0307588364

Summary from Amazon

Marriage can be a real killer.

One of the most critically acclaimed suspense writers of our time, New York Times bestseller Gillian Flynn takes that statement to its darkest place in this unputdownable masterpiece about a marriage gone terribly, terribly wrong. The Chicago Tribune proclaimed that her work “draws you in and keeps you reading with the force of a pure but nasty addiction.” Gone Girl’s toxic mix of sharp-edged wit and deliciously chilling prose creates a nerve-fraying thriller that confounds you at every turn.

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.

My Thoughts

I have mixed feelings about this book. I found myself hating the main characters. They were horrible and self centered. I thought they deserved each other. It was hard for me to decide who was the victim. The main characters are as twisted as they come. Still, I found myself riveted to the dark storyline.

Then came the ending. Oh boy! I was so disappointed! I kept reading the last page over and over hoping I had misread it. Nope. The ending was abrupt and I hated the way it ended. I despised the characters even more, after I read the ending.

To sum it up, I hated the characters, hated the ending but still found myself reading the book. It was like watching a train wreck. I found myself covering my eyes, so to speak, to keep from seeing the wreck but kept peeking through my fingers to watch the wreck happen. I think it takes talent to write about despicable characters and keep the reader immersed in the story, which Gillian Flynn definitely does!

If you like dark, twisted thrillers, this might be a book you will enjoy. I just wish it had ended differently.

I bought this book and read it for the Just For Fun Reading Challenge