Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn

Hey, it’s Diego.

It’s been over a decade since Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn came out.

I re-read it recently.

Let me share what I think of it.

Let me give you my spoiler-free unbiased review.

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Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn Review

Gone Girl is a domestic thriller that dives headfirst into the messiest corners of Nick’s and Amy’s marriage. It starts with a bang: Amy Dunne disappears on her fifth wedding anniversary, leaving behind a home that screams foul play and a husband, Nick, who isn’t exactly a poster child for innocence.

This is a domestic thriller, set mostly in a small town in Missouri.

Gillian Flynn’s writing is sharp, clever, and soaked in psychological insight. It’s the kind of prose that feels like it’s cutting straight through to the heart of every character, exposing their darkest thoughts in a way that’s almost uncomfortably intimate. It was written a long time ago but I still felt that some parts were overly long in exposition.

The story alternates between two points of view: Nick’s first-person narration in the present and Amy’s diary entries from the past. It’s a brilliant device that kept me guessing not just about the plot but about who I could trust—if anyone. It was expertly executed in this book and many have tried to recreate it since.

The first half is a slow burn, with tension simmering as we learn about Nick and Amy’s lives and marriage. The plot is written in a way that adds twists every now and then and it kept me interested enough until the midpoint. Once we reach the middle of the story, the pace ramps up, and it becomes nearly impossible to put down.

Nick and Amy are both deeply flawed, so although they are not charismatic, I found that I wanted to find out what happened to each. Nick starts off as a pretty passive character but does a 180 towards the end of the book.

If you’re looking for a swoon-worthy love story, this isn’t it. Instead, Gone Girl takes romance, shreds it, and holds up the pieces as a cautionary tale about what can happen when a relationship turns toxic.

There are no graphic details of violence or sex, although it does contain explicit language.

So, what about the ending? (No spoilers obviously)

I thought the ending works although I can see how it’s polarizing. The denouement doesn’t go into detail, but instead hints at what the surviving characters’ lives will be like after the event.

I found the book to be a must-read for any fans of domestic and psychological thrillers. It is a bit dated and it does drag somewhat in places, but it’s still a pretty solid book.

Similar Books to Gone Girl

• The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins

• Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn

• Behind Closed Doors by B.A. Paris

That’s all for this week.

See you next time.

— Diego Dunne

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