Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn
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Web ID: 15626226One Messed-Up Marriage
I'm a pretty big fan of David Fincher films and his adaptation of Gone Girl is one of my favorites. But for some reason, it has taken me years to finally get around to reading the book. And wow - am I glad I did!! Without giving away anything that's not on the back cover, the story follows Nick Dunne after his wife mysteriously disappears, possibly murdered. Possibly by Nick himself. Through diary entries, we also get to know his wife of five years, Amy, and her view of their marriage. The alternating chapters between Nick and Amy do a really good job of keeping the mystery and suspense throughout the book. Even though I have seen the film adaptation, it's been years since I've seen it so I really only knew one thing for sure; which I won't say here to keep this spoiler free. Gillian Flynn did a great job of keeping the mystery with red herrings, some misdirection, and lots of smoke and mirrors. It's one of those books that makes you go, "Okay, just one more chapter. You know what? I can get one more chapter in. Ooh, the next one is short - I'll just read one more." And if you're reading along or just listing to the audiobook by itself, they had Nick and Amy's chapters read by different narrators, which really added to the audio production. Overall, this is a solid 5 out of 5 stars. Although I wasn't a huge fan of how it ended, I'm not actually sure what would have been a satisfying ending in a story as crazy as this one. I think I may need to pick up another Flynn book or two.
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
still one of the standards of the genre
It seems that Gone Girl was at the forefront of the current popular wave of psychological thrillers, and for me it is still one of the very best of the genre. I was immediately hooked by the premise and the setup and felt compelled to keep reading (but I won't give away any details because of spoilers). I frequently thought I could anticipate what would happen next, only to have my assumptions challenged. The tragedy at the center of this marriage is told from the alternating viewpoints of both husband and wife, and we quickly realize that these characters are far more complex and flawed and interesting than they initially appear, and our view into their mindset is unnerving. I found the resolution of the novel to be very satisfying in its own twisted way, and for that I give it a firm 5 stars.
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Skip the movie. Read the book!!!!
Nick and Amy are the two most despicable characters ever and I enjoyed every minute!! Skip the movie. Read the book :)
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Not what I expected
I have heard so much about this book for years. The twist at the end! The descriptive writing! I have to say, it was painful for me to continue reading this book. I appreciate the way the author shows you inside the minds of two separate people, each with their own issues, but it goes on much longer than need be. It is divided into 3 parts. Truly the first part is the longest and drones on and on. I forced myself to continue because I kept hearing the end was worth it. It was good, but not worth the hours I painfully forced myself to continue reading. This is just not my type of story, and it does not progress rapidly enough to keep my attention
Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
AWFUL ending
The book is well written and I liked the formatting; however, AWFUL ending. For myself, the first half of the book was boring, second half I became hopeful, and then the last two chapters just completely ruined it for me. A decent read but I wouldn’t recommend it for everyone.
Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Solid Mystery
Nick and Amy have been married for five years to the day. But they’ve been struggling lately with their marriage for many different reasons. When Amy suddenly disappears, Nick finds himself the main suspect of the police investigation. Evidence piles up suggesting that Amy had much to fear from Nick, but Nick denies it all. As the police continue to investigate Nick, it’s revealed that both he and his wife had secrets – but were any of them worth killing for? Even though this book and movie have been out for years now, I knew absolutely nothing about it. I quite enjoyed how the author told the story from the multiple POVs and Amy’s diary entries – getting both sides of the relationship is what made this story. I also enjoyed having my mind set one way for the beginning of the book, then having to completely readjust my thinking later; this aspect was well done. I do love it when authors successfully write unlikeable characters and this is one of those books when I don’t really know who I’m supposed to like or cheer for, which was a treat. It did take me a little bit to get invested in the story, but the last half of the book was such a wild ride that it made up for it. I enjoyed the story and couldn’t wait to finish the book (in a good way!). While it certainly was a read full of toxicity, it wasn’t as dark as the other book I’ve read by this author – this was a good one and I’m planning on reading more from this author.
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Good read
Good read, but not great. Airplane book and overhyped. The writing was good, but I couldn’t read it more than once.
Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
PAGE TURNER
Am reading this for the second time, and had forgotten what a page turner this book is. Ms Flynn keeps the reader engaged, enthralled, entertained, and part of Nick and Amy's lives, as the plot unfurls toward the surprise conclusion. Beautiful writing, larger than life characters and a breathtaking plot...what's not to like? Could not fault this book, and have ordered another one by this author. Highly recommended reading!
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com