Dark Places by Gillian Flynn

Title: Dark Places
Author: Gillian Flynn (website)(Twitter)
Pages: 368 Kindle
Publication Date: May 5, 2009
Publisher: Broadway Books
Source: library loan
Rating: 2 out of 5

Summary from Goodreads:

Libby Day was seven when her mother and two sisters were murdered in “The Satan Sacrifice of Kinnakee, Kansas.” As her family lay dying, little Libby fled their tiny farmhouse into the freezing January snow. She lost some fingers and toes, but she survived–and famously testified that her fifteen-year-old brother, Ben, was the killer. Twenty-five years later, Ben sits in prison, and troubled Libby lives off the dregs of a trust created by well-wishers who’ve long forgotten her.

The Kill Club is a macabre secret society obsessed with notorious crimes. When they locate Libby and pump her for details–proof they hope may free Ben–Libby hatches a plan to profit off her tragic history. For a fee, she’ll reconnect with the players from that night and report her findings to the club… and maybe she’ll admit her testimony wasn’t so solid after all.

As Libby’s search takes her from shabby Missouri strip clubs to abandoned Oklahoma tourist towns, the narrative flashes back to January 2, 1985. The events of that day are relayed through the eyes of Libby’s doomed family members–including Ben, a loner whose rage over his shiftless father and their failing farm have driven him into a disturbing friendship with the new girl in town. Piece by piece, the unimaginable truth emerges, and Libby finds herself right back where she started–on the run from a killer.

After finishing this one, I've now read all of Flynn's novels. Says quite a bit that I've read three by her since I so rarely read all of an author's works now. Too many debut authors I want to try. I didn't even read the summary of Dark Places but found what I was expecting. A dark, disturbing look into the lives of more screwed up people. 

The characters were even less likable than normal. I constantly wanted to throat punch Libby and was amazed that her character was 30 years old. She seemed to be a whiny 12 year old most of the time. Even though I didn't like the characters, I did like the changes in narrators and the way the story was told in flashbacks. It gave the story more depth.

Dark Places was just as gritty and dark as Flynn's other books but for some reason it made me feel like taking a hot, cleansing shower each time I read. Some of the meanness was just too much and seemed unnecessary. 

The wrap up was a bit over the top. It wasn't completely unbelievable but still. Overall, it was just not as rich as her others. 

Dark Places by Gillian Flynn

Title: Dark Places
Author: Gillian Flynn (website)(Twitter)
Pages: 368 Kindle
Publication Date: May 5, 2009
Publisher: Broadway Books
Source: library loan
Rating: 2 out of 5

Summary from Goodreads:

Libby Day was seven when her mother and two sisters were murdered in “The Satan Sacrifice of Kinnakee, Kansas.” As her family lay dying, little Libby fled their tiny farmhouse into the freezing January snow. She lost some fingers and toes, but she survived–and famously testified that her fifteen-year-old brother, Ben, was the killer. Twenty-five years later, Ben sits in prison, and troubled Libby lives off the dregs of a trust created by well-wishers who’ve long forgotten her.

The Kill Club is a macabre secret society obsessed with notorious crimes. When they locate Libby and pump her for details–proof they hope may free Ben–Libby hatches a plan to profit off her tragic history. For a fee, she’ll reconnect with the players from that night and report her findings to the club… and maybe she’ll admit her testimony wasn’t so solid after all.

As Libby’s search takes her from shabby Missouri strip clubs to abandoned Oklahoma tourist towns, the narrative flashes back to January 2, 1985. The events of that day are relayed through the eyes of Libby’s doomed family members–including Ben, a loner whose rage over his shiftless father and their failing farm have driven him into a disturbing friendship with the new girl in town. Piece by piece, the unimaginable truth emerges, and Libby finds herself right back where she started–on the run from a killer.

After finishing this one, I've now read all of Flynn's novels. Says quite a bit that I've read three by her since I so rarely read all of an author's works now. Too many debut authors I want to try. I didn't even read the summary of Dark Places but found what I was expecting. A dark, disturbing look into the lives of more screwed up people. 

The characters were even less likable than normal. I constantly wanted to throat punch Libby and was amazed that her character was 30 years old. She seemed to be a whiny 12 year old most of the time. Even though I didn't like the characters, I did like the changes in narrators and the way the story was told in flashbacks. It gave the story more depth.

Dark Places was just as gritty and dark as Flynn's other books but for some reason it made me feel like taking a hot, cleansing shower each time I read. Some of the meanness was just too much and seemed unnecessary. 

The wrap up was a bit over the top. It wasn't completely unbelievable but still. Overall, it was just not as rich as her others. 

Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn {Thoughts On}

Title: Sharp Objects
Author: Gillian Flynn (website)(Facebook)
Pages: 321 ebook
Source: Library
Rating: 3 of 5

Summary from Goodreads:

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.

I was such a huge fan of Gone Girl that I was eager to read Flynn's previous books. When my request for Sharp Objects came up, I put aside the other book I was reading to read this one instead. I was sucked in from the start but didn't love it the same way I loved (not sure loved is the right word) Gone Girl. Had I not read Gone Girl  first, I think that I would have liked Sharp Objects better. The writing was vastly improved between this, her first novel, to Gone Girl, her third. I don't make a point of trying to figure out a mystery but I thought that I had this one figured out pretty soon. Turns out I was sort of right and sort of wrong. It seemed like there were some inconsistencies but it could have just been me. I tried to find holes in the plot of Gone Girl and couldn't find them but this one seemed to have a couple. 

The characters in this one were just as screwed up as I've come to expect with Flynn's characters. Seriously screwed up. At points, painful to read screwed up. Camille was a seriously flawed character but the look into her life was strangely fascinating. I liked her matter of fact way of seeing things. 

The story itself is interesting and I enjoyed the mystery surrounding the murders. The Kansas City Detective, Richard, was a welcome distraction from the rest of the crazy home town people. What a bunch that was! Even he wasn't entirely likable but at least he didn't have all that history with the town and its people. 

I personally found the writing style to match the character of Camille quite well but have read others dislike of the choppy, incomplete sentences. The pacing was well done with the suspense lasting throughout the book. The only thing I didn't particularly like was the ending which felt a bit rushed. Sharp Objects is another solid work from an author that is quickly becoming a favorite. I look forward to reading Dark Places soon.

A solid 3 out of 5 stars...I enjoyed it but had a couple of issues.

Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn {Thoughts On}

Title: Sharp Objects
Author: Gillian Flynn (website)(Facebook)
Pages: 321 ebook
Source: Library
Rating: 3 of 5

Summary from Goodreads:

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.

I was such a huge fan of Gone Girl that I was eager to read Flynn's previous books. When my request for Sharp Objects came up, I put aside the other book I was reading to read this one instead. I was sucked in from the start but didn't love it the same way I loved (not sure loved is the right word) Gone Girl. Had I not read Gone Girl  first, I think that I would have liked Sharp Objects better. The writing was vastly improved between this, her first novel, to Gone Girl, her third. I don't make a point of trying to figure out a mystery but I thought that I had this one figured out pretty soon. Turns out I was sort of right and sort of wrong. It seemed like there were some inconsistencies but it could have just been me. I tried to find holes in the plot of Gone Girl and couldn't find them but this one seemed to have a couple. 

The characters in this one were just as screwed up as I've come to expect with Flynn's characters. Seriously screwed up. At points, painful to read screwed up. Camille was a seriously flawed character but the look into her life was strangely fascinating. I liked her matter of fact way of seeing things. 

The story itself is interesting and I enjoyed the mystery surrounding the murders. The Kansas City Detective, Richard, was a welcome distraction from the rest of the crazy home town people. What a bunch that was! Even he wasn't entirely likable but at least he didn't have all that history with the town and its people. 

I personally found the writing style to match the character of Camille quite well but have read others dislike of the choppy, incomplete sentences. The pacing was well done with the suspense lasting throughout the book. The only thing I didn't particularly like was the ending which felt a bit rushed. Sharp Objects is another solid work from an author that is quickly becoming a favorite. I look forward to reading Dark Places soon.

A solid 3 out of 5 stars...I enjoyed it but had a couple of issues.

Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn - Thoughts

Title: Gone Girl (Goodreads)
Author: Gillian Flynn
Pages: 419
Genre: General Fiction, Adult, Suspense
Published: 2012
Rating: Oh.my.word

I don't know how to review this book without cussing because the characters were seriously screwed up. I have never read a book that has manipulated my feelings as much as this one did and I was stunned at how easily they were manipulated.

The basic summary is that Nick's wife Amy disappears on their 5th anniversary. Through Nick's perspective and Amy's diary we learn that their marriage isn't all that good but did Nick have something to do with her being gone?

Just when you think you've figured something out, you find out you are so.very.wrong. It is hard to review without giving anything away but I call say that the writing was wonderful and the plot was airtight. I can't believe how well written this book was. Even though at times I hated (which is not too strong a word here) the characters, Flynn kept me guessing and turning page after page. The characters were so well thought out and so believable it was scary.

If you enjoy psychological thrillers with excellent writing, you may like this book. Reviews seem to be mixed. Either people love it or hate it. 

Your turn, if you've read this did you enjoy or it or not? Any books like this one that you could recommend?

Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn - Thoughts

Title: Gone Girl (Goodreads)
Author: Gillian Flynn
Pages: 419
Genre: General Fiction, Adult, Suspense
Published: 2012
Rating: Oh.my.word

I don't know how to review this book without cussing because the characters were seriously screwed up. I have never read a book that has manipulated my feelings as much as this one did and I was stunned at how easily they were manipulated.

The basic summary is that Nick's wife Amy disappears on their 5th anniversary. Through Nick's perspective and Amy's diary we learn that their marriage isn't all that good but did Nick have something to do with her being gone?

Just when you think you've figured something out, you find out you are so.very.wrong. It is hard to review without giving anything away but I call say that the writing was wonderful and the plot was airtight. I can't believe how well written this book was. Even though at times I hated (which is not too strong a word here) the characters, Flynn kept me guessing and turning page after page. The characters were so well thought out and so believable it was scary.

If you enjoy psychological thrillers with excellent writing, you may like this book. Reviews seem to be mixed. Either people love it or hate it. 

Your turn, if you've read this did you enjoy or it or not? Any books like this one that you could recommend?