Gone Girl (Book Review)

It’s not often that a book completely, totally captivates me. Sometimes I’ll pick up a book I got from the library and inexplicably lose interest within a few pages. As the saying goes, ‘life is too short to read bad books.’ This was not the case for Gone Girl. This brilliant novel by Gillian Flynn had me enthralled within minutes of starting it and it was almost painful to have to put it down to have to do insignificant things like eat and sleep.

Gone Girl begins with Nick, the loving husband, the businessman, the nice guy. Soon his life is shaken up when he comes home to find that his wife, Amy, has disappeared under suspicious circumstances. Very quickly, Amy becomes a nationwide interest as Nick, his twin sister, his neighbors, and the police begin a manhunt to find the person who has taken this beautiful, loving woman.  

The novel takes the reader along with Nick as he attempts to learn the truth about what happened to Amy.  At the same time, we are treated to flashbacks from Amy’s diary about the years before and after their marriage when they were so happy and so in love.

There are many startling twists and turns in this novel, each as beautifully conceived as the last. It never becomes confusing, however, as some novels tend to do. Instead, the reader is left increasingly anxious to reach the end when the truth will finally be revealed.

 I think I might also like this book so much because Flynn has the incredible ability to tell stories. Her characters are fascinating, and the story itself is cleverly woven with a mixture of the current time with flashbacks. Her writing puts me in every single scene; I can picture myself there, I can hear their voices and see their faces. It sometimes plays out as an Alfred Hitchcock film in my mind.

I don’t know what took me so long to get this book, but I’m so glad I finally did. I will definitely be picking up Gillian Flynn’s other books as soon as I can get my hands on them, and of course I recommend you do the same.  

Psycho bitch