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Gone
Girl by Gillian Flynn has been a top ten New York Times
Bestseller for almost a year. This novel explores many different
themes as it takes readers on a roller coaster ride. The mystery
is centered on a dysfunctional marriage that is full of lies,
malice, betrayal, and sprinkled with a little love.
The story
begins on the fifth wedding anniversary of the two main characters,
Nick and Amy. It backtracks to their early relationship and
their first blissful years of marriage. Amy is seen as funny,
smart, beautiful, and rich, while Nick is smart, handsome,
and dedicated, the perfect yuppie couple. However, as events
in their life go terribly bad, the marriage begins to unravel
and the two seem to become anti-soul mates. They both lose
their jobs, Nick's parents are very sick, and without income
coming in they are forced to move to Nick's small hometown
of North Carthage, Missouri. This is told in the first half
of the book at a somewhat slow pace.
The nail
biter begins in the second, which is riveting and fast paced.
Sometime during the day of their fifth wedding anniversary
Amy disappears. Another theme explored by Ms. Flynn is how
the husband is always the notable suspect in a disappearance,
and as time elapses how the media and public rush to judgment,
becoming judge and jury. Nick does not help his cause by being
evasive, and telling a series of lies.
As with
many books these days the story is told in alternating viewpoints.
Nick narrates his feelings and events in real time while Amy
narrates what happened in the past through her written diary.
It is in the diary and notes left that Amy gives clues as
to the troubles of the couple and how she disappeared. Yet,
these clues are a dichotomy where the police read the actual
words and Nick sees her hidden meanings. The reader learns
more about the couples' personalities, sometimes liking them
and sometimes hating them as this psychological thriller unfolds.
Gone
Girl is a mystery that will keep the reader guessing
throughout the entire book. Through hints from page one the
author is able to weave a story with many twists and turns.
This sometimes funny, sometimes dark novel of love and hate
is an engrossing mystery.
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