Review: Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn

Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn
Published on September 26, 2006 by Random House, Inc

WICKED above her hipbone, GIRL across her heart
Words are like a road map to reporter Camille Preaker’s troubled past. Fresh from a brief stay at a psych hospital, Camille’s first assignment from the second-rate daily paper where she works brings her reluctantly back to her hometown to cover the murders of two preteen girls.

NASTY on her kneecap, BABYDOLL on her leg
Since she left town eight years ago, Camille has hardly spoken to her neurotic, hypochondriac mother or to the half-sister she barely knows: a beautiful thirteen-year-old with an eerie grip on the town. Now, installed again in her family’s Victorian mansion, Camille is haunted by the childhood tragedy she has spent her whole life trying to cut from her memory.

HARMFUL on her wrist, WHORE on her ankle
As Camille works to uncover the truth about these violent crimes, she finds herself identifying with the young victims—a bit too strongly. Clues keep leading to dead ends, forcing Camille to unravel the psychological puzzle of her own past to get at the story. Dogged by her own demons, Camille will have to confront what happened to her years before if she wants to survive this homecoming.

With its taut, crafted writing, Sharp Objects is addictive, haunting, and unforgettable

My thoughts:
I have chills and I have had chills ever since I put this book down almost an hour ago.  This is the second book I have read by Gillian Flynn and I am quickly discovering she has the rare ability to shock and scare the hell out of me.

Camille, a mediocre reporter, is being sent to her old hometown to report on the murders of two young girls.  Camille isn't happy about it and knows going back to the place that hurt her all those years ago will bring up old problems and old wounds.  She doesn't get a say so she goes and despite her mother not being happy about her return she stays at her parents house and starts digging for clues.  What she finds will shock and scare the daylights out of you.  If you thought Gone Girl was crazy you haven't seen anything yet.

This story was so messed up!  It is definitely not for the faint of heart and it deals with a lot of underage icky stuff.  I cringed quite a few times while reading, but I went with it because the story is that good.  I have to give the author major credit because I didn't see that ending coming at all.  I thought I knew the villain and I was right in a way, but holy moly!  Ms. Flynn is rather brilliant in my opinion.  When I read her stories I just get wrapped up in them so tightly that I can't breathe sometimes.  I felt this way with both stories and I have a feeling it will just be this way with every book. I will say her books are a bit long winded.  This can be a good thing and a bad thing. If I hadn't already read a book by her I would have thought a lot of this book was filler, but if you read into the story everything she writes is relevant to the story.  There are a lot of clues that you can pick up if you really read between her lines.

The only part that bugged me was the romance.  I know I have stated in the past that I am kinda passed the romance stage in my reading, but with this one I just wanted one person on Camille's side.  I felt let down by Richard and while I know what Camille did wasn't okay I just wish things had been different.  I almost wish Richard had stayed just a cop. That way I wouldn't have felt let down and the romance wouldn't have even been an issue.  I get that Camille needed to heal and really needed help so I can see where the author was going, but I wish the reason why Richard did what he did would have been different.

This is the type of story I have been craving!  It was dark, scary, shocking, and one that gave me chills. I haven't been shocked in a long time so I am loving this feeling!  Even now writing this review I am still excited and jumping at the chance to start Ms. Flynns next book.  

4 suns

 

Waves of Fiction 2015 Reading Challange

- A book that takes place in a small town

 

Review: Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn

 

Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn
Published on May 24, 2012 by Weidenfeld & Nicolson
Purchase Amazon

About the book
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.

My thoughts:
After starting this over a month ago I never thought I would finish it and I have no idea why I kept putting Gone Girl down.  The only thing I can figure out is that the author wrote her characters so well that I knew even if I put the story down I would still remember what was going on a month later.  I decided to finally pick this back up and it was amazing and just plain messed up which is exactly what I am looking for in a book these days.

Oh boy I don't even know where to begin with the whole summary.  I guess basically what you need to know is that Nick the main male character finds out that his wife, Amy, is missing.  There looks to have been a struggle in the house and well after a while all signs point to Nick as being the cause for Amy's disappearance.  What you don't know will rock your socks off and make you really second guess everything you thought you knew.  This story is all kinds of messed up and my mind is still in shock over the mid story twist!  Amy is (in the words of my roomie, Arlene) one twisted lollipop with a side of pycho thrown in!  Amy's character is what makes the story oh so brilliant though and even though I don't condone any of her actions that girl is an evil genius!

I loved loved loved this story.  Yes the ending is somewhat lacking but honestly after reading the last few chapters I get it.  I understand why things happened the way they did and well even though I wanted a little bit more redemption for a certain character really there was no other way for this to end.  I have been on the look out for books that will shock the hale out of me and this one definitely did that.  I can't say much more because this is one of those books where you just have to read it to believe it and anything I give away will be a spoiler that I promise you want to read.  I am so glad that I read this without knowing too much about it because the authors twists are amazing and ones you will want to read for yourself.

4 suns