Title: Gone Girl
By: Gillian Flynn
About the Author (From the Book) – Gillian Flynn’s first
novel, Sharp Objects, was the winner
of the two CWA Dagger Awards and was shortlisted for the CWA Gold Dagger Award,
and for Edgar. Her second, Dark Places,
was published to great critical acclaim. A former writer and critic for Entertainment Weekly, her novels have
been published in twenty-eight countries. She lives in Chicago with her husband
and son.
ISBN: 9781780221359
Cover Price: Rs.
350.00
Rating: 5/5
Something about the book (from the Book’s cover):
Who
are you?
What
have we done to each other?
These are the questions Nick Dunne
finds himself asking on the morning of his fifth wedding anniversary when his
wife Amy suddenly disappears. The police suspect Nick. Amy’s friends reveal
that she was afraid of him, that she kept secrets from him. He swears it isn’t
true. A police examination of his computer shows strange searches. He says they
weren’t made by him. And then there are the persistent calls on his mobile
phone.
So
what did happen to Nick’s beautiful wife?
Now for my View:
Well what can I say about this
amazing psychological thriller that hasn’t already been said? Or, better yet
what can I say that will justify the immense pleasure of devouring this
mystery, one page after the other? Excellent, brilliant and stimulating are
perhaps some of the best adjectives for Gillian Flynn’s masterpiece. At the very
onset I shall urge you to pick up this book, without any delay, for it is
indeed a fascinating read.
I was scouting through the best
seller list for the past year (and this year too) when I came across Gone Girl in the list and I had to pick
it up. And I am glad that I did! Gone
Girl is a thriller about two out of work writers. The power play in long
term relationships is taken to a different level altogether in this book. It is
the story of Nick and Amy Dunne whose marriage is in turmoil. The plot takes
off from their fifth anniversary when Amy disappears and everything seems to
point towards Nick as the culprit. What happens next? Well you won’t even be
able to guess unless you go through each line in this incredible book! I will
obviously refrain from saying anything about what happens next as it is a
thriller and it will only spoil your experience of reading and finding it out
for yourself.
Gone
Girl has several aspects that will win you over as a reader. There are some
books or thrillers rather, which take considerable time to set the scene; to
engulf the reader into its world and to attain a certain pace. But Gone Girl did all of that in the first
few pages without deviating even for a moment ensuring that I stay hooked to it
till the very end. The book maintains its momentum in terms of progress of the
plot throughout as well. Not for a moment will you feel that the chapter or dialogues
or descriptions are being dragged unnecessarily. As a thriller thus it ensures
the reader is not bored; ensures that every chapter leaves the reader asking
about what happens next.
Gillian Flynn has written Gone Girl with alternating first person
POVs of both the characters pivotal to the plot. It is tricky and complex to
narrate both sides of the story while remaining true to each of the characters
as well. But Flynn seems to have mastered this art as not for a moment in the
narration will you find the hold on her characters going faint. The narrations
are delightfully deceitful; revealing aspects at the very last moments, enough to
ensure the continuity of the mystery elements.
Often while reading mysteries and
thrillers we feel that some questions remain unanswered. Or we find loopholes in
how the end could have been different if those looses end were brought to
light. Gillian Flynn in Gone Girl has
ensured there are no such questions in the reader’s mind after he or she is
done with the novel. She has written it by thinking from every aspect and
always being ahead in terms of the readers’ ‘what ifs’! The plot thus has been carefully
and brilliantly knitted together.
To fairly conclude, I can only say
that I am totally satisfied after reading this book and it surely has become one
among the most prized possessions on my book shelf till date! So read it and
let me know if you like it as well!