'Gone Girl' by Gillian Flynn

Gone Girl, Gillian Flynn (3.0)

This is a very difficult book to rate. While the writing is compelling and the plot is riveting, the characters are so abhorrent one can hardly get past them. The story is also extremely manipulative. It starts as a first person narrative alternating between a husband whose wife has gone missing and that wife’s diary from the years before. They both describe their lives in completely different ways. Half of the book seemed exactly like the Scott Peterson story (even with a Nancy Grace figure), then you realize that all is not as it seems. This is particularly jarring with a first person story, as you feel more invested. I will say that it was hard to put the book down and there were parts of the writing, that were very creative – which I am coming to appreciate more and more – but it is not a ‘feel good’ book. Ms. Flynn has taken quite a few literary gambles that seem to have paid off; given how many months this book has stayed on the best seller’s lists. I decided to give this book a ‘3’ as an average of the writing (4) and subject (2).