'Gone Girl' by Gillian Flynn is a psychological thriller that delves into the dysfunctional marriage of Nick and Amy. The story unfolds with a man coming home on his 5th wedding anniversary to find his house destroyed and his wife missing, leading to a search where all clues point towards him. The narrative is filled with twists and turns, portraying the cunning dynamics between the characters, creating a chilling portrait of the ill effects of narcissistic disorder and manipulation. The novel keeps readers on edge as it explores themes of deception, betrayal, and the dark aspects of human nature.
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Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings
Triggers include themes of domestic violence, mental illness, infidelity, and graphic language.
From The Publisher:
#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER
The "mercilessly entertaining" (Vanity Fair) instant classic "about the nature of identity and the terrible secrets that can survive and thrive in even the most intimate relationships" (Lev Grossman, Time).
NAMED ONE OF THE MOST INFLUENTIAL BOOKS OF THE DECADE BY CNN
NAMED ONE OF TIME'S TEN BEST FICTION BOOKS OF THE DECADE AND ONE OF ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY'S BEST BOOKS OF THE DECADE
NAMED ONE OF THE TEN BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY Janet Maslin, The New York Times
People
Entertainment Weekly
O: The Oprah Magazine
Slate
Kansas City Star
USA Today
Christian Science Monitor
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. 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?
NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY San Francisco Chronicle
St. Louis Post Dispatch
Chicago Tribune
HuffPost
Newsday
"Absorbing . . . In masterly fashion, Flynn depicts the unraveling of a marriage-and of a recession-hit Midwest-by interweaving the wife's diary entries with the husband's first-person account."-New Yorker
"Ms. Flynn writes dark suspense novels that anatomize violence without splashing barrels of blood around the pages . . . Ms. Flynn has much more up her sleeve than a simple missing-person case. As Nick and Amy alternately tell their stories, marriage has never looked so menacing, narrators so unreliable."-The Wall Street Journal
"The story unfolds in precise and riveting prose . . . even while you know you're being manipulated, searching for the missing pieces is half the thrill of this wickedly absorbing tale."-O: The Oprah Magazine
Ratings (762)
Incredible (147) | |
Loved It (297) | |
Liked It (186) | |
It Was OK (75) | |
Did Not Like (39) | |
Hated It (18) |
Reader Stats (1168):
Read It (796) | |
Currently Reading (3) | |
Want To Read (245) | |
Did Not Finish (17) | |
Not Interested (107) |
20 comment(s)
Gone Girl was meh. I never really became engrossed in the story. I couldn't relate to either main character, both are crazy.
Overall, the book left me feeling sad, gross, and a little creeped out.
Too dark.
Loved everything about this book! One of my best books of the year so far.
I didn't expect
that.
I have to say, it's been awhile since I've so thoroughly enjoyed a book. Usually when I read mysteries, I can figure out 'whodunnit' in the first few chapters. Not this one. The plot kept twisting and turning and I was never sure who I was supposed to be rooting for.
And when I got to the second half of the book, I realized that I was a complete and utter sucker. I'd been hoodwinked.
Obviously the two main characters in the book are absolutely awful people. Yet, I still found myself cheering them both on at different points, much to my great shame.
The writing was clever and engaging. The characters were alive - I felt like I really knew them. And when I finished the book, I had to take a break from reading for a few days so I could digest everything I had read.
All in all, it was a great time!
I could not put this down the whole time I was reading it! I finished it in 48 hours! This wasn't something that I would have picked up on my own, but was a book club pick and it was so captivating! Twisted, psychologically dark, complex, wonderfully multi-layered characters...it has it all! If you pick this one up, make sure that you have at least two days blocked out to finish it because your life is going to grind to a screeching halt until you finish it. SO good!
Incredible. Thats reallt all I can say.
one-handed review: LOVED. IT. wish i had the use of 2 hands to more easily discuss all that i loved. i feel there is a lot to talk about re: feminism in this book (concept of Cool Girl, or manic pixie dream girl, especially). it's a page-turning bamf, but also really smart. great hospital read.
this has been a one-handed review.
I've been on a Gillian Flynne kick lately, reading all her novels in no particular order. Dark Places was my favorite but this was a close second. I watched the movie first, when it came out, but still really enjoyed the novel. I highly recommend this one.
I was too great till the part 2. I thought some very twisted climax with full of suspense... But part 3 disappointed me :(
Interesting twist, liked the suspense and thrill of it. Enjoyed reading. Great writing style, reads fast.
What can you read after
Gone Girl?
About the Author:
Gillian Flynn is the author of the runaway hit Gone Girl, an international sensation that has spent more than 95 weeks on the New York Times bestseller list. Her work has been published in 40 languages. Gone Girl is a major motion picture from Twentieth Century-Fox. Flynn's previous…
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