Gone Girl
by Gillian Flynn
I read this book for two reasons: I wanted to see what all the fuss was about (everyone has been going on about how great it is for ages) and I wanted to see the movie (I didn't want to see it without having read the book). Honestly, I wasn't expecting to love it...but I sort of did. I enjoyed it way more than I thought I would.Summary: 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. 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?
I probably would've enjoyed it more had I not been partially spoiled for the ending--normally spoilers don't bother me, but this is one of those books where not knowing what's going on and what's going to happen plays a big part in the reading experience. For that reason, it's actually quite difficult to review the book because most of what I want to talk about would spoil it.
So... I'll have to keep this part brief: the plot and the characters are the most interesting I've read in a while. Amy was great, I liked her a lot--well, not liked in the sense that I'd ever want to be friends with someone even remotely like her, but she was a fascinating character and I enjoyed her POV the most. I liked reading about her, is what I'm trying to say really (saying I liked her isn't accurate).
Nick...well. I hated him. He's the kind of character I'd love to punch (and I really want to explain all the reasons why, but...but spoilers). I'm not sure if I was supposed to hate him as much as I did (consistently, right to the end) or if he was supposed to grow on me as certain things were revealed, but he just didn't. His early chapters frustrated me a lot, they got more interesting the more they focussed on Amy. Their relationship was the most interesting thing about him really.
The book did feel like it kind of dragged at times, like it was longer than it needed to be, but that may have just been down to being spoiled so it made it frustrating at times having to wait for stuff to happen.
But yeah...I think that's all I can say without spoilers. I'd rate the book 4 stars out of 5, and I'll probably check out some of the authors other books at some point too.
Later.