Gone Girl By Gillian FlynnRandom House Audio, ISBN 978-0385366755
July 24, 2012
When we first meet Nick and Amy, they are riding high.
We hear how they met and fell in love, married and started life in New York City, living in a charming town house. He is a magazine writer, she writes quizzes, maybe not their dream jobs but very nice. Even when he gets laid off in the bad economy, they do not panic. They have Amy's trust fund from the books her parents wrote about a cute little girl based on Amy when she was little to fall back on.
But then things start to go downhill very quickly, and they are compelled to move back to Nick's hometown in the Midwest, a place that is itself down on it's luck.
Then, on the morning of their 5th wedding anniversary, Amy disappears and soon Nick looks like the number one suspect.
But what has really happened? Has there been foul play. Or has something very different happen. Is Nick guilty...well, it is soon clear he is certainly guilty of something! But the more you read, less and less sure will you be of everything you thought at first. Bit by but, everything you though you knew about these two is turned on it's head, as we listen in on Nick's present day narrative of what is going on as the investigation starts and as we read excerpts from Amy's diary from years ago up to the present. Just when you think you have a handle on what is going on, Flynn slips in a line that has you saying, "What?? Wait a minute..WHAT??" and turning everything on it's head. Very clever...and that is all I will say about the plot! Maybe I have already said too much. But I must convince you to read it if you foolishly have not yet.
I am, as is often true, late to this book, but I was waiting to get it on audio from my library. And while I am no audio expert, I though this was quite well done. My only complaint is that I was listening to it in the car and my commute is way to short for a really good book. And yes, as just about every review out there has said, this is a Really Good Book. I love a good thriller but this is way beyond your typical good thriller. Dark and clever and more than a bit disturbing in a very, very real way.
have only heard good things about this book and yet i have no desire to read it ... thanks for the review
ReplyDeleteI have failed....lol
DeleteI am even later than you. I've been dying to read this book but it sits untouched in my bedroom and I'm not sure why.
ReplyDeleteI read this book a few month ago, and unlike everyone else I hated it. I think I am too old for stories like this one, I just couldn't get into all the foolishness of the crazy anniversary gift hiding, and the end, made me hate the book even more. My review is on my Book Lust Journal blog.
ReplyDeleteI finished Gone Girl a couple of weeks ago...like you, I felt like every time I figured out where the plot was going next, I was blindsided. And, it was the most difficult review for me to write so far simply bc there's so much you can accidentally give away if you're not careful :/
ReplyDeleteI was hoping you'd like this! I love this author and I'm so happy with her success with this book. I think the best recommendation for this on audio is that your commute was too short for such a good book. That says it all!
ReplyDeleteThat's so funny about the problem of short commuting! I had the same problem when I listened to Room on audio. Finally I just had to give up and sit out in the garage! LOL
ReplyDeleteI haven't read this one yet and not sure I plan to. I read a review that the reader was so disgusted with the end that I figured why read it? What did you think of the ending??
ReplyDeleteIt was....difficult to accept. I doubt anyone would be "happy"with it.
ReplyDeleteI've heard so many differing opinions on this one, but you've convinced me to give it a try. I'm going to track down the audio for my exercise time in the pool.
ReplyDeleteI just finished yesterday and I was not blown away. The audio was good, but wonderful. What is wrong with me? I'm in a club of one.
ReplyDelete...and that is fine. I think we all find our selves in that club sometimes.
DeleteBTW: it wasn't the ending. The ending was perfect, actually.
ReplyDeleteHi Caite, I just reviewed Gone Girl on my blog, and I added a link to your review as well. Do check it out!
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