Book Review: Gone Girl

I am a lover of books. I love to read, especially mysteries. The analytical part of me gets the biggest kick out of trying to figure out the plot twists and the ending before I get to them. Sometimes I get it wrong, but I seem to get it at least partly right more often than not. 

Even with my love of mysteries, it still took me a long time to read this book. I heard about it a lot before I checked it out....it was all over Goodreads, and Amazon, and was featured quite prominently in bookstores like Barnes and Noble, which we all know I frequent like I'm getting paid to do it. (Actually, Barnes and Noble people - I really would appreciate the opportunity to get paid for visiting your store, so let's talk about a way to make that happen, mmmkay?? Great, thanks.) I flipped through the book a few times, and it never really caught me, so I didn't purchase it. But then after I lost my job in February, I had more free time than anticipated, so I figured I'd give it a go. 

And I'm really glad I did.....

Here's the Goodreads editorial review: 

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Marriage can be a real killer.

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?

With her razor-sharp writing and trademark psychological insight, Gillian Flynn delivers a fast-paced, devilishly dark, and ingeniously plotted thriller that confirms her status as one of the hottest writers around.

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This was a pretty great mystery. There are three sections to the book, with another major twist revealed in each one. I actually didn't figure out the second section twist until the very last chapter of the first section, which is pretty high praise. This was a book that, admittedly, took me a couple of chapters to get into....but once I hit that point, I was completely hooked. I flew through it. And then as soon as I could, I got my hands on her other two books, Sharp Objects and Dark Places.  

Gillian Flynn's talent lies in her ability to make incredibly dark stories interesting, and keep her reader guessing. Every turn is new and for the most part, unexpected. Her characters are agonizingly real, which makes it really easy to identify with what they're going through. All of her books are written in first person, too, given the reader a feeling like they're reading a personal journal, rather than a fictional story. 

There are a couple negatives about this book, however. Number one, there is a lot of language, and a couple somewhat graphic sexual scenes. There were very few times when the language seemed gratuitous to me, but I know that it does bother some people. All of the sex scenes just seemed weird, and made me feel strangely uncomfortable, as if I were peeking in a window at the characters *actually* doing it. 

The book is also just kind of ... weird, for lack of a better way to describe it. The first thing I thought when I finished it was, "Wow, that was kind of a mind f*ck." I tend to like books like that, that get me all engrossed and then just rip my psyche to shreds. 

Overall, I'd give this book four out of five stars, and would highly recommend it, with the caveat that even if you enjoy dark mysteries like I do, if strong language or descriptions of sex bother you, this might not be the book for you. 

***Disclaimer: I purchased this book on my own. I received no compensation for this post, and all opinions are my own. ***

Do you have any suggestions for books I should read/review?