Homepage
Reviews

BOOK REVIEW: Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn

I had a long debate in my mind before writing this review. Shall I really write the review. I guess, half of the world must have read it by now. What about the other half? Well, it seems they have seen the movie. Well, whatever. If you are already familiar with the story of Gone Girl, I hope this post amuses you and bring back some relating memories, otherwise keenly read this.

GONE GIRL by Gillian Flynn is all about toxicity in a marriage between two virulent characters. Those kind of characters which will serve the our literature needs for quite a time. On the day of their fifth wedding anniversary, Nick’s wife Amy Dunne goes missing. Yes she is the Gone Girl. Their front door is open, the coffee table shattered, books scattered. Nick calls the police but there’s something off about his reactions. He keeps referring to Amy in the past tense, and then catching himself. And he is not quite worried enough about her disappearance but defends by calling himself a ‘laid-back’ guy. Under mounting pressure from the police and the media as well as Amazing Amy’s fiercely doting parents, the 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? The book is set in Carthage, Missouri. more

Gone Girl switches between Nick’s narrative, as the hunt for the amazing Amy consumes the attention of America’s media, and Amy’s diary, as she writes about the early days of their relationship. The plot of the book is specimen of an imaginative mind and full of twists and turns. Though some of those twists and turns, you might be able to predict if you are familiar with the game of crime fiction novels. I conquered some twists before handedly and felt proud, I have a tendency to feel good and pleased with myself when I solve mysteries on myself; but then when I reached the end, I was stupefied as you will be. That feeling of pride is gone and never coming back. I am not even concerned about that any more. No reader will be. You will have to focus properly because Gone Girl is all about how it ends. The ending might not be amicable to many, but this is how it ends and you’ll have to deal with it. I am dealing with it too.

Gillian Flynn is impressive with her writing, her choice of words. The whole book is cleverly written. Clever, unreliable characters that are ready to blow your mind. Characters who will ‘earn’ your hate by the end of the book. Gone Girl is a part crime fiction and a part psychological thriller. After reading the book and putting it down, you might realise that in those four/five hundred pages (depending on the edition and publisher) you have read are not the part of the reality. It does not exist fundamentally in real life as you do. And it can take a nick of time to realise this fact.

4 out of 5!

View Comments

Athena says: May 26, 2015 at 2:20 PM WOW I've only seen the film but now that I've read this I would love to read the book too, thanks for sharing
Stuff Jeff Reads says: May 26, 2015 at 6:39 PM Nice review. I enjoyed the book when I read it. Someone gave me Sharp Objects, so I plan on reading that one soon.
Carole Besharah says: May 26, 2015 at 6:51 PM I was impressed after starting Part II. The new realisations that came with that made me gasp out loud. Still, the Part II soon lost its appeal, and the ending was weak. And lame. And infuriating. I was hoping the scriptwriters would improve the ending. They didn't. Ah well. Have you watched the movie yet? Thanks for sharing your thoughts. This book still has its hold on me... so there's something to be said about that, I suppose.
beverley says: May 26, 2015 at 11:11 PM Nope, not read it and certainly cannot watch it, until i have read it.
leeduigon says: May 26, 2015 at 11:58 PM Sounds kind of like a Ruth Rendell piece. If you haven't read it already, try her classic, "A Judgment in Stone." Whew!
Run Wright says: May 27, 2015 at 7:58 PM I watched the movie but haven't gotten to the book yet. I am still expecting some surprises from the book though.
Sahir. says: May 28, 2015 at 5:59 AM Hello. I’ve done both, read the book and seen the film. I enjoyed the book a lot; however, I thought the end of the book was a bit of a dud. But then I began to see – there really can be no other end, can there? It had to be the way it was! Oh, and that middle-of-the-book twist! Oh, it shocked me like I have never been shocked by a book before. It was magnificently well-hidden. I suppose I’m not well enough acquainted with the crime genre to have predicted it, but I’m pretty glad I’m not. I think I liked it hitting me better than if I’d read it as a confirmation of my suspicions. Anyway, thanks for the review!
Akylina says: May 29, 2015 at 5:12 AM That was a great review :) I much preferred the book to the movie - I thought the movie didn't really portray Nick's corrupted character as it was shown by the end of the story.
napoleonsplit says: April 27, 2016 at 11:42 PM You are so right about the ending. I despised it as much as I despised the characters themselves, which made it all the more wonderful.
beerenitynowdoug says: July 15, 2016 at 7:49 PM Amazing book!!!

WOW I've only seen the film but now that I've read this I would love to read the book too, thanks for sharing

Aman(@amanhimself) says: May 26, 2015 at 7:56 PM You're welcome. Did you like the movie?

You're welcome. Did you like the movie?

Nice review. I enjoyed the book when I read it. Someone gave me Sharp Objects, so I plan on reading that one soon.

Aman(@amanhimself) says: May 26, 2015 at 7:57 PM Do tell me about it when you are done with it.

Do tell me about it when you are done with it.

I was impressed after starting Part II. The new realisations that came with that made me gasp out loud. Still, the Part II soon lost its appeal, and the ending was weak. And lame. And infuriating.

I was hoping the scriptwriters would improve the ending. They didn't. Ah well. Have you watched the movie yet?

Thanks for sharing your thoughts. This book still has its hold on me... so there's something to be said about that, I suppose.

Aman(@amanhimself) says: May 26, 2015 at 7:59 PM Yeah I watched the movie, not as good as compared to the book though. It could have been better. The disappointing thing about the movie was the script was written by the author and she could have done a better job to improve the latter half if the story.

Yeah I watched the movie, not as good as compared to the book though. It could have been better. The disappointing thing about the movie was the script was written by the author and she could have done a better job to improve the latter half if the story.

Carole Besharah says: May 26, 2015 at 9:06 PM She wrote the script? Uh. That may explain a lot. The twist was great... What came after had so much potential... Ah, well. Cheers!

She wrote the script? Uh. That may explain a lot.

The twist was great... What came after had so much potential... Ah, well.

Cheers!

Nope, not read it and certainly cannot watch it, until i have read it.

Aman(@amanhimself) says: May 27, 2015 at 10:46 AM Reading before watching is a great idea. Do tell me, when you are done with the reading part!

Reading before watching is a great idea. Do tell me, when you are done with the reading part!

Sounds kind of like a Ruth Rendell piece.
If you haven't read it already, try her classic, "A Judgment in Stone." Whew!

Aman(@amanhimself) says: May 27, 2015 at 10:47 AM Thanks Lee, your recommendations are always interesting!

Thanks Lee, your recommendations are always interesting!

I watched the movie but haven't gotten to the book yet. I am still expecting some surprises from the book though.

Aman(@amanhimself) says: May 27, 2015 at 10:21 PM There are some surprises in the book which are not in the movie.

There are some surprises in the book which are not in the movie.

Hello. I’ve done both, read the book and seen the film. I enjoyed the book a lot; however, I thought the end of the book was a bit of a dud. But then I began to see – there really can be no other end, can there? It had to be the way it was!
Oh, and that middle-of-the-book twist! Oh, it shocked me like I have never been shocked by a book before. It was magnificently well-hidden. I suppose I’m not well enough acquainted with the crime genre to have predicted it, but I’m pretty glad I’m not. I think I liked it hitting me better than if I’d read it as a confirmation of my suspicions.
Anyway, thanks for the review!

Aman(@amanhimself) says: May 28, 2015 at 11:16 AM Thank you for reading the review. I'm glad you enjoyed your reading time with book. When you read too much of one genre you will be able crack things initially but somehow a good writer's words will still surprise you.

Thank you for reading the review. I'm glad you enjoyed your reading time with book. When you read too much of one genre you will be able crack things initially but somehow a good writer's words will still surprise you.

That was a great review :) I much preferred the book to the movie - I thought the movie didn't really portray Nick's corrupted character as it was shown by the end of the story.

Aman(@amanhimself) says: May 29, 2015 at 3:47 PM Thanks! Yeah you are right, movie did not portrayed that.

Thanks! Yeah you are right, movie did not portrayed that.

You are so right about the ending. I despised it as much as I despised the characters themselves, which made it all the more wonderful.

Aman(@amanhimself) says: April 27, 2016 at 11:46 PM Yeah, it is a perfect situation where one's love being or getting tormented or played with in his full consciousness.

Yeah, it is a perfect situation where one's love being or getting tormented or played with in his full consciousness.

Amazing book!!!

Aman(@amanhimself) says: July 15, 2016 at 7:50 PM Indeed.

Indeed.

BOOK REVIEW: Elephants in the Room by Suraj Laxminarayanan What is a better crime fiction novel where a crime revolves around not the detective…
BOOK REVIEW: Unforeseen by Chandan Sen Gupta Cleverly woven plots are often a delight for me to read. There are many factors…
#BookReview: Dystopia by Manoj Jain With a peculiar cover Manoj Jain, this is his 5th book release. I have read some…

What is a better crime fiction novel where a crime revolves around not the detective…

Cleverly woven plots are often a delight for me to read. There are many factors…

With a peculiar cover Manoj Jain, this is his 5th book release. I have read some…

BOOK REVIEW: Elephants in the Room by Suraj Laxminarayanan

What is a better crime fiction novel where a crime revolves around not the detective who tries to fit pieces…

Book Reviews
Books

BOOK REVIEW: Unforeseen by Chandan Sen Gupta

Cleverly woven plots are often a delight for me to read. There are many factors why I like these type…

Book Reviews
Books
Fiction

#BookReview: Dystopia by Manoj Jain

With a peculiar cover Manoj Jain, this is his 5th book release. I have read some of his work in the…

Books

#BookReview: Influencer by Brittany Hennessy

Brittany Hennessy does a great job on writing a book about that targets Instagram as the platform to promote your…

Book Reviews
Books
Non-Fiction

#BookReview: How To Earn $10,000 While Learning To Code by Rob Percival

Learning how to code is a common asset these days for the interested ones. As a full-time software engineer and…

blog
Blogging Tips
Books

Ten Day Book Blog Posts Challenge #1

One of the hardest thing about blogging is consistently writing and publish blog posts and for that, you have to…

BOOK REVIEW: Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn - Confessions of a Readaholic