Gone Girl by Jillian Flynn

Gone Girl

Jillian Flynn

2012, 432 pgs

Borrowed from a Friend

Summary from Amazon

Marriage can be a real killer.
   One of the most critically acclaimed suspense writers of our time, New York Times bestseller Gillian Flynn takes that statement to its darkest place in this unputdownable masterpiece about a marriage gone terribly, terribly wrong. The Chicago Tribune proclaimed that her work “draws you in and keeps you reading with the force of a pure but nasty addiction.” Gone Girl’s toxic mix of sharp-edged wit and deliciously chilling prose creates a nerve-fraying thriller that confounds you at every turn.
   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.

My Summary

     On Nick and Amy’s fifth wedding anniversary, Amy disappears.  The story is told in alternating chapters from Nick’s point of view in current time and Amy’s diary starting from when she met Nick.  The police assume foul play and Nick is the main suspect.  He doesn’t do himself any favors with his behavior after her disappearance or by lying to the police during the investigation.  But the Amy that emerges in her diary come off a touch off as well.  I was constantly questioning who to trust.  Neither Amy nor Nick is super like-able, but I found myself being drawn to both of them.  They have very distinct and memorable personalities.

    I don’t think I can say much more without giving away plot points.  This book is a total mindf*ck (sorry Elizabeth stole your word).  Every time I felt like I was starting to get a hold of where the story was going I’d get whomped with a twist that I did not see coming at ALL!   The ending of the story was not entirely satisfying it was perfectly appropriate for the story.

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My Rating
Enjoyability (5 out of 5 stars)
Relationships (4 out of 5 stars)
Writing (4 out of 5 stars)
This book will stay with me for a long time.  I don’t know how rereadable it is….plot twists aren’t as fun the second time around.