Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn
Format? Ebook on my Nook
Why? Are you kidding me?? Have you seen all the reviews in Bloggieland?? I also had a Barnes&Noble gift card; how could I pass this up?
The Title? Amy's parents wrote a series of books called Amazing Amy and the title is a play on words about the different kinds of girl Amy was through all her adventures.
The Cover? Amy's blonde blonde hair against a black backdrop...
What Now? Gone Girl isn't a re-readable kind of book (not for me anyway)...part of its lure is the unknown that keeps sneaking up on you as you read...so I would be passing it along if it wasn't forever in the bowels of my Nook :/
Golden Lines
**For the first time in a while, I didn't mark any Golden Lines as I was reading...I had to find these after the fact. I'm not sure what that means yet...even though the dissertation brain disease is trying to analyze the crap out of it :/
Part of Gone Girl's pull is the unknown, so I purposely picked Golden Lines that would tease.
Part of Gone Girl's pull is the unknown, so I purposely picked Golden Lines that would tease.
There's something disturbing about recalling a warm memory and feeling utterly cold.
The street is billowing, and Nick pulls me close and smiles that smile again, and he takes a single lock of my hair between two fingers and runs them all the way to the end, tugging twice, like he's ringing a bell.
I felt giddy, felt for a moment we were all pretend people: Let's play the Missing Wife game!
"She's a planner - she doesn't, you know, wing anything. She likes to make lists and check things off. Get things done. That's why this doesn't make sense - "
"That's a shitty thing to say, Nick."
"It's a shitty way to feel, Amy."
I opened it gingerly as if a head might be inside. I found only a creamy blue envelope marked
FIRST CLUE.
In my pocket, my disposable cell phone made a mini-jackpot sound that meant I had a text:
im outside open the door
"We never went to bed angry."
"Not Wednesday night?'? Boney asked.
"Never," I lied.
I'm so much happier now that I'm dead.
Nick must be taught a lesson. He's never been taught a lesson! He glides through life with that charming Nicky grin, his beloved child entitlement, his fibs and shirkings, his short-comings and selfishness, and no one calls him on anything.
Something bad was about to happen. My wife was being clever again.
"Play nice, Nick."
"Just like your dad. We're all bitches in the end, aren't we, Nick? Dumb bitch, psycho bitch."
Go burst into tears then - the first time I'd seen her cry since she was a child. She sat down on the floor, straight down, as if her legs gave out. I sat down beside her and leaned my head against hers. She finally swallowed her last sob and looked at me. "Remember when I said, Nick, I said I'd still love you if? I'd love you no matter what came after the if?"
"Yes."
"Well, I still love you. But this breaks my heart." She let out an awful sob, a child's sob. "Things weren't supposed to turn out this way."
The street is billowing, and Nick pulls me close and smiles that smile again, and he takes a single lock of my hair between two fingers and runs them all the way to the end, tugging twice, like he's ringing a bell.
I felt giddy, felt for a moment we were all pretend people: Let's play the Missing Wife game!
"She's a planner - she doesn't, you know, wing anything. She likes to make lists and check things off. Get things done. That's why this doesn't make sense - "
"That's a shitty thing to say, Nick."
"It's a shitty way to feel, Amy."
I opened it gingerly as if a head might be inside. I found only a creamy blue envelope marked
FIRST CLUE.
In my pocket, my disposable cell phone made a mini-jackpot sound that meant I had a text:
im outside open the door
"We never went to bed angry."
"Not Wednesday night?'? Boney asked.
"Never," I lied.
I'm so much happier now that I'm dead.
Nick must be taught a lesson. He's never been taught a lesson! He glides through life with that charming Nicky grin, his beloved child entitlement, his fibs and shirkings, his short-comings and selfishness, and no one calls him on anything.
Something bad was about to happen. My wife was being clever again.
"Play nice, Nick."
"Just like your dad. We're all bitches in the end, aren't we, Nick? Dumb bitch, psycho bitch."
Go burst into tears then - the first time I'd seen her cry since she was a child. She sat down on the floor, straight down, as if her legs gave out. I sat down beside her and leaned my head against hers. She finally swallowed her last sob and looked at me. "Remember when I said, Nick, I said I'd still love you if? I'd love you no matter what came after the if?"
"Yes."
"Well, I still love you. But this breaks my heart." She let out an awful sob, a child's sob. "Things weren't supposed to turn out this way."
Summary
Nick has a "less than ideal childhood."
Amy has a "less than ideal childhood."
Nick and Amy are married.
Amy disappears on their 5th wedding anniversary, and Nick is blamed.
Nick is innocent...well, sortof.
You think you know the rest of the story.
But, you don't.
Not even close.
Nick is innocent...well, sortof.
You think you know the rest of the story.
But, you don't.
Not even close.
What I Liked
Humor - If I wasn't breathing heavily to recover from shock or sucking in air over the most recent language bomb, I was laughing.
Shock Value - I have no idea how many times Flynn smacked me in the head. Literally...smacked. me. in. the. head...I don't remember being this surprised by the events of story in a very long time.
The Pull - the only thing I know to compare it watching Shark Wek...you know there will be sharp teeth, chills, biting, blood and fish guts...and even though most, if not all, SharkWeek fans would never ever want to see any of the shark action in real life, we can't take our eyes off the screen.
The format - days gone...the alternating point of view between Nick and Amy for the same timeframes after she goes missing may very possibly be genius. It adds that "oooh, I can't believe she said that...now let's see what he'll come up with in response to the same scenario" feel to Nick and Amy's story...also how Flynn delivers some of her punch...different people remember events in their own creative ways sometimes.
Shock Value - I have no idea how many times Flynn smacked me in the head. Literally...smacked. me. in. the. head...I don't remember being this surprised by the events of story in a very long time.
The Pull - the only thing I know to compare it watching Shark Wek...you know there will be sharp teeth, chills, biting, blood and fish guts...and even though most, if not all, SharkWeek fans would never ever want to see any of the shark action in real life, we can't take our eyes off the screen.
The format - days gone...the alternating point of view between Nick and Amy for the same timeframes after she goes missing may very possibly be genius. It adds that "oooh, I can't believe she said that...now let's see what he'll come up with in response to the same scenario" feel to Nick and Amy's story...also how Flynn delivers some of her punch...different people remember events in their own creative ways sometimes.
Go (Margo) - Nick's twin sister - seriously, the only character in this story that I actually liked...the only one with any sense...funny and a mouth like a sailor
Betsy Bolt - Tanner's wife...the way she hit Nick in the face with jellybeans - Betsy made me snort!
What I Didn't Like
Amy, Nick, Rand and Marybeth (Amy's parents), Boney and Gilpin (the two cops in charge of the investigation), Tanner, and pretty much anybody else in Flynn's novel.
Good luck trying to find a character in Gone Girl that you actually like...and let me know how that works out for you.
When I finished Gone Girl, my first reaction was anger...truly...
First of all, my Nook said we had about 25 more pages to go, so I kept thinking something else would happen...but then I swished to the next page and found out it was the last page followed by 25 (pages) in Acknowledgements and excerpts from Flynn's other novels.
Rarrrrrrrrrrrrrr!
But, still, I honestly don't know if I've ever finished a novel with so much negative emotion...but not for the book itself, the author, etc.
I don't really even know yet how to wrap my mind around it.
**I started this review a couple of months ago. In response to a very dear friend who asked me last night what I thought of the book, I decided it was time to finish this review...I still don't know how to wrap my mind completely around this book...I really don't.
Amy's quizzes -I probably disliked Amy's quizzes at least partially bc I disliked her so much...but I really disliked the quizzes...hated them, in fact.
Good luck trying to find a character in Gone Girl that you actually like...and let me know how that works out for you.
When I finished Gone Girl, my first reaction was anger...truly...
First of all, my Nook said we had about 25 more pages to go, so I kept thinking something else would happen...but then I swished to the next page and found out it was the last page followed by 25 (pages) in Acknowledgements and excerpts from Flynn's other novels.
Rarrrrrrrrrrrrrr!
But, still, I honestly don't know if I've ever finished a novel with so much negative emotion...but not for the book itself, the author, etc.
I don't really even know yet how to wrap my mind around it.
**I started this review a couple of months ago. In response to a very dear friend who asked me last night what I thought of the book, I decided it was time to finish this review...I still don't know how to wrap my mind completely around this book...I really don't.
Amy's quizzes -I probably disliked Amy's quizzes at least partially bc I disliked her so much...but I really disliked the quizzes...hated them, in fact.
Overall Recommendation
Read it if you want your chain yanked...and are not afraid of some pretty seriously crude language used by both main characters. A few times, the language felt like being punched in the face...just not the kind of stuff I hear everyday...and I teach on a college campus. In the Acknowlegements, Flynn warns her own kid away from reading Gone Girl until he's 24...I think maybe 30 is better. Flynn obviously uses the language for emotional zing/shock factor and oh, it worked.
There is not one single character I liked in this book - and yet I loved every page of the story! Gillian Flynn has that way with words that makes me want to keep reading it, enjoying every horrific twist and still wanting more. Her debut SHARP OBJECTS is what first clued me into her dark and twisted storytelling.
ReplyDeleteI hope to have time to read Sharp Objects over the holidays!! :)
DeleteI LOVED this book, and it made me even more excited to read Sharp Objects, which was just a mindbendingly sick read. So much of this book depends on the reader going in without a clue, which is what happened to me. I hated everyone in it, but loved the tale, and was totally gripped. Glad to see that I wasn't the only one who was shocked!!
ReplyDeleteI'm glad it wasn't just me either! "mindbendingly sick" huh? Oh my!! :) What does it say about me that I'm excited about reading it??
DeleteWow! With such endorsements from all around, how can I continue to skip reading this book (even though the characters are unlikable)?!
ReplyDeleteGo ahead, Susan and take the plunge :) Just be prepared to get your socks blasted off! :)
DeleteI did not like this one. Yes, I am unpopular because of it but it was soooooo over the top and ridiculous. Was it entertaining? Yes. Was it a page-turner? Yes, but it went on for way too long and just kept getting more silly as the pages went by.
ReplyDeleteI hear Reese is making the movie and will star as Amy and Flynn is working on the sequel. I can't wait to see what will happen in that one.
When my friend asked me if I had read it and if I liked it, I had to think about it before I could answer her. I'm still not sure if I LIKED it. I didn't DISLIKE it, but how the heck do you like a book that made you want to throw it against the wall. First I've heard of a movie...I cannot even imagine some of those words spewing out of Reese's mouth!! Yikes. If the sequel involves the ending shocker, I know I won't like it (I hate having to be so careful about saying too much :p)
DeleteI've heard all the buzz but haven't read this one yet. Sounds like a knock your socks off kind of book
ReplyDeleteIf you don't mind being jerked around by a book, go ahead and dive in :p It still makes me irritated when I think about it ;) So much so that I'm not sure I'll be up for the movie or sequel :/
DeleteI suggested this one to my book club at work not knowing anything about the book except that it was about marriage. I was a bit embarrassed about the language after I started reading it. The next book we read was Fight Club which was definitely more crude by all the members said that Gone Girl felt worse because it was there just to be there.
ReplyDeleteI loved this one for the ride but I hated it for the characters and the way it made me feel. Sounds like you had some of the same reaction.
Trish, I was reading it on my own and I know I turned beet red a time or two. I've been known to use a colorful word or two from time to time...and I have a couple of friends who use really colorful words sometimes. But, I've never been around people who talk like Nick and Amy. I wasn't used to that at all. And the meanness...yeesh. The ending made me nauseous.
DeleteThis is definitely a thrill ride of a book. I didn't love it as much as many did, but it was entertaining as hell. The ending was so harsh!
ReplyDeleteThe ending is the worst part to me...and now to hear that the story may continue. I don't think I want to know anything else :p
DeleteI did like this one … I love when an author mixes things up. There is some backlash going around about this book but it was a thrill ride of a book and I always appreciate that. I still think her first book, Sharp Objects, is better.
ReplyDeleteI agree, Jenners...it's a hard one to categorize but "thriller ride" and "jerk me around endlessly" all the way to the absolute unexpected ending are the best ways I know to describe it. I hope I get to Sharp Objects during the holidays...keeping my fingers crossed. :)
DeleteHaven't finished it, but I managed to stay aloof enough during our book club (the one Trish and I attend together!) that I think I'll still enjoy reading it and still be sorta surprised maybe. I hope.
ReplyDeleteJust don't expect anything...and you'll be fine ;) A roller coaster ride of a book, no doubt.
DeleteHmm.. I've been looking to pick up this book, but after reading your review, I don't think I want the jarring experience!
ReplyDelete"Jarring" is another good word, Karen...:p
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