Book Review and Author Event: Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn

Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Publisher’s Description:

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 from their rented McMansion on the Mississippi River. 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?

As the cops close in, every couple in town is soon wondering how well they know the one that they love. With his twin sister, Margo, at his side, Nick stands by his innocence. Trouble is, if Nick didn’t do it, where is that beautiful wife? And what was in that silvery gift box hidden in the back of her bedroom closet?

Oh my gosh – this book was so good. I was drawn in right from the title which is perfect for this book. “Gone Girl” just sounds creepy and intriguing. This is one of those books that is really hard to review without spoiling it but I shall try. Gillian Flynn has created two fabulous characters in Nick and Amy. While the plot of this book is primarily the mystery of what happened to Amy, it’s also a study of Nick and Amy’s marriage and how things change once they both lose their jobs and move from New York City to Missouri. I had the pleasure of seeing Gillian speak at an event hosted by Rainy Day Books. She said Gone Girl is about how no one really knows what goes on in a marriage and what happens when your golden lifestyle that you define yourself by is stripped away.

Other highlights of Gillian’s talk:

+ When asked to comment about the fact that her two previous novels have angry female main characters, Gillian stated that women are not innately good as it is sometimes assumed and that they should get credit for trying to be good. Rage and anger are normal emotions for both men and women but some reason we tend to think there is something wrong with a woman who is feeling angry. I haven’t read Gillian’s previous two books but I thought she made a really good point – women should be allowed to be angry.

+ Gillian said that she could probably set up a perfect murder in real life, but she would crack under the pressure of being questioned. She also said that she doesn’t have the twists and turns her stories take in mind when she writes; she just sees where the story goes as she’s writing it. I can’t imagine!

+ One of the characters in Gone Girl makes fun of the Mid-West and the people who live there and at first I was a little offended. Then I found out that Gillian is originally from the Kansas City area and that made it okay with me. You have the right to make fun of it if you grew up here. My favorite line from the book about the Mid-West is, “I have learned about bulk shopping in my four weeks as a Mississippi River resident. Republicans go to Sam’s Club, Democrats go to Costco.” That’s pretty much true in my neck of the woods! Gillian commented that there is a strange reverse eroticism that people on the coasts have about the Mid-West. You can tell them anything about the Mid-West and they’ll believe it.

+ The movie rights have been optioned for both her previous books – Sharp Objects and Dark Places. Gillian said that Sharp Objects is being developed by the producer of Paranormal Activity and that Amy Adams is attached to play Libby in Dark Places.

Me, Gillian and NerdyApple. Gillian told me that I had a friendly face and because of that she kept looking at me during her talk (I sat in the third row). She signed my book, “To Rachel – the great audience member – thank you!” That made me love her even more. I can’t wait to read her first two novels.

Bottom line: You must, must, must read Gone Girl – it’s gripping, surprising and twisted. What more could you want?

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