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Book Review: Gone Girl

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Title: Gone Girl
Author: Gillian Flynn
Publisher: Orion Publishing Group
Genre: Thriller/ Drama
Price: Rs. 144 on Amazon (I'm surprised as to why it is priced so less!)
Pages: 422

I was surprised by how cold Rosamund Pike was as the character of Amy in the movie. But when I read the book, I knew. I had loved the movie immensely and have been wanting to read the book since a very long time. Very rarely do I feel like reading the book after watching the movie. I mean when you know the ending, what is the fun in reading right? While the movie has shown Amy's character brilliantly, Nick's character wasn't explored much. I wanted to know what went through his mind during all the drama that unfolded. After all, there are always two sides to a story. The screenplay of the movie by the author herself, was so perfect that I went ahead and bought a collection of her books to be read on my Kindle. Sharp Objects, Dark Places and Gone Girl. I started with the one that I always wanted to read.

Nick Dunne and Amy Elliot meet each other at a party, fall in love and then get married. A few years later everything between them changes. Amy realizes that she is not the "cool girl" that Nick fell in love with. That was only something that she was pretending to be when she met him. Nick is in love with an Amy who no longer exists and fails to see the actual her. This causes a weird stagnancy in their marriage and one fine day on their fifth anniversary, Amy disappears. Gone, just like that!

What happened to Amy? Was she killed? If yes, who did it? If no, where did she go? All these questions take myriad shapes around a psychotic back ground and become answers themselves. The author explains the minds of the two protagonists absolutely smashingly just like Nick's desire to smash open his wife's head and look inside to understand what she is thinking. Since I saw the movie first, every time I read Amy and Nick it was Rosamund Pike and Ben Affleck who came to my mind. But the brilliant writing did not distract me even once. The revelation of the truth is disturbing, depressing at times too, but it is happening word by word. The human mind is such a complex thing. At times, the desperate need to exist takes precedence over everything else. Even if love is left behind.

The book describes a scary marriage. Between Amazing Amy (the 8th and the lone survivor child) who has had a troubled childhood as her parents were busy cashing in on books based on their survivor daughter and Nick, the mediocre man. The short lived love, the hesitant dialogues, the missing, the grand realization and the final desperation - all these together form a story that is as beautiful, poignant, disturbing and shocking at the same time. Love is a very beautiful emotion, but it is dangerous too. Especially if you are only in love with the idea of that person. The ending was weird and too hard to digest, but somehow justified thanks to the eccentric personalities of the characters.

Read the book even if you have watched the movie. If you haven't watched the movie yet, then you are in for one hell of a ride.


Verdict: Absolutely mind blowing! My first Gillian Flynn book and now I'm a fan for life.

Rating: 5 out of 5.

Comments

  1. wow 5/5 I gotta add this one then. Haven't watched the movie yet with the hope that I would read the book before.

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    1. Oh you haven't watched the movie. Then go read it now!

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  2. Agree with every word of your review.. When the movie came out and a colleague told me how she was looking forward to seeing as it was based on one of her favorite books, I decided to wait to finish reading the book over a weekend and watch the movie the following weekend. Little did I know that I would spend my entire Friday night reading this arresting book and go watch the movie the following Saturday afternoon! This was one of the unputdownable books for me.

    Dark Places was not as arresting for me but it has a totally justified title..! Yet to read Sharp Objects though. Will wait for your review if you happen to read that first..

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  3. I bought the book a long time ago, guess about nine months ago. And I still didn't feel like reading it! :( Didn't watch the movie as I was adamant to read the book first. Now that I have read your review, I know that I should pick it up soon! Thanks for sharing :)

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  4. This book, as well as Dark Places and Sharp Objects, is amazing! Will definitely remain a favourite!

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  5. I've absolutely loved this book. Havent watched the movie though. Maybe I shud checkout if the movie does justice to the book.

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  6. Ooh 5/5. Will get this one for sure. And I haven't watched the film.

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  7. I saw the movie and it was fabulous. The portrayal of a deep dark disturbed mind, weaved around love and lust is amazing.

    Looking forward to reading the book.

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  8. Had loved the movie. Brilliant one. Knew it was based on this book. Only surprise is how come the book is charged at such a low price while some books with rating 1 are charged more.

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    1. The book at this point of time was on sale. It is priced at 300 something now.

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  9. Gone Girl is an amazing movie. Haven't read the book yet. Will pick this one soon. :)

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