Overall Rating and Opinion of "Gone Girl"

[justjessthoughts]

What was your overall opinion of the October 2014 book of the month, Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn? Do you recommend the book to others? Why or why not?

I actually thought the beginning was very slow. It was hard for me to get into the book. I did really enjoy the majority of the book. The twists and plot turns, though at times predictable were still sritten in a way that made it exciting for the reader. I am not a fan of the ending, I feel like it ends in a way that leaves both parties hanging. Just waiting for the next to make the move but we all know no one ever will. But perhaps this is a comment on the true nature of so many unhappy marriages in the world today.

But I would recommend this book to others and do so regularly in my everyday life. Especially with the movie coming out (which I have not yet seen) the interest in this novel has piqued and I ALWAYS recommend the book.

[Fran]

I had no intention of reading this book but I happened to see the trailer for the movie and it caught my interest (and I like Ben Affleck!) but to be honest after reading the book I would have no interest in seeing the movie.
The book is OK but it didn't keep me up all night reading it (the mark of a great book) in fact I got fed up with it & had to leave it aside for a day or two. For a thriller it's quite slow & plodding & a bit too contrived to be satisfying. As for Nick and Amy - they remind me of the Irish saying "If God made them, he matched them" - equally unpleasant, manipulative and shallow. In fact I didn't like any of the characters and didn't find myself invested in any of them. Not a book I would be recommending and I'll certainly not be rereading it.

[kio]

I also loved this book. Very intense read. I loved the sociopath elements as well as the misdirection the most. I also like how the ending was kind of open-ended and left the reader to decide what the couples would decide. I do wish, however, the book had moved a little quicker in the beginning. I kept putting it down at first.

[onikitaaa]

During the beginning of gone girl, I was so impressed with Gillan Flynns style of writing. I was instantly hooked. Not able to put down, until getting to the ending. I thought the ending was so drab and the easy way out. This book would have been so much better with a conclusion that actually worked and made sense for the characters

[Dzahneen88]

Hi! I'm new here. Is there anyway I can get a copy of the book of the month? Thank you

[gali]

Hi! I'm new here. Is there anyway I can get a copy of the book of the month? Thank you

You need either to borrow the book from the library or buy it.

[bookowlie]

I loved this book. I was constantly kept guessing by the many twists and turns. The character development of the two main characters was superb.

-- 25 Oct 2014, 17:47 --

During the beginning of gone girl, I was so impressed with Gillan Flynns style of writing. I was instantly hooked. Not able to put down, until getting to the ending. I thought the ending was so drab and the easy way out. This book would have been so much better with a conclusion that actually worked and made sense for the characters

I agree with you. Like you, I also couldn't put the book down, but was very disappointed in the ending. The ending just didn't seem realistic, compared to everything that had happened. I would be interested to hear what the author's reasoning was for this type of ending.

[cmkerr09]

I enjoyed Gone Girl. I thought it was a compelling read and I agree it was hard to put down. Flynn's writing style makes it an easy read. I definitely wouldn't call it high quality literature as it was more of a beach read. The ending was rather weak; however, given how twisted and shocking the story was overall, it is not too hard to accept the ending. After finishing the book most of my thoughts about it focused on how disturbing and unexpected many of the twists were, rather than giving the ending much if any thought.

[ladybug31]

The first time I read "Gone Girl" I absolutely loved it and raved about it for weeks, even went on a binge of the author's other books. The second time (right before the movie came out) I wasn't too sure. Even knowing how it was going to end, I held my breath in the vain hope that maybe this time it would be different, like a book fairy waved its magic wand and would change the outcome. But, alas, that isn't how it happened. Reading it the second time, I really started to hate Amy. I mean, that "cool girl" speech? Really? Who else kinda hated her for that speech?

[nicoleponsi]

I sat and stared at the wall for a while after I finished Gone Girl with the most incredulous smile on my face. Such a clever story! It was easy to read from the first page, the words and pages flowed effortlessly. A few times I had to stop, put the book down and try to catch up in my mind, see if I could predict what would happen next, how the story would end. I did not see that coming.

[lizj97]

I just started reading this book and it is very interesting to say the least so far. I will definitely come back and post when I am able to form a proper opinion on the whole book. I do know it is living up to my expectations so far.

[jhollan2]

I really liked this book. Or rather, I didn't like it. It was so dark and twisted and awful and also amazing at the same time. Flynn did a masterful job of turning a cliched convention into something shocking and disturbing. It reminded me of Wuthering Heights, in the sense that they are both books with absolutely terrible main characters. I didn't know who I should be rooting for or against.

I do agree with some of the other posters that it falls apart a bit at the end. It is so clever and fresh up until that point, then it ends as though it is tripping down he stairs.

[Fran]

I really liked this book. Or rather, I didn't like it. It was so dark and twisted and awful and also amazing at the same time. Flynn did a masterful job of turning a cliched convention into something shocking and disturbing. It reminded me of Wuthering Heights, in the sense that they are both books with absolutely terrible main characters. I didn't know who I should be rooting for or against.

I do agree with some of the other posters that it falls apart a bit at the end. It is so clever and fresh up until that point, then it ends as though it is tripping down he stairs.

Did you get the feeling that she didn't quite know how to finish off the book? To me it felt like she rushed just to wrap it all up anyoldhow and all the deviousness and manipulation she had woven into the characters in the first half of the book. Or maybe, like me, she just got sick of Nick and Amy & wanted rid of them.

[jhollan2]

Did you get the feeling that she didn't quite know how to finish off the book? To me it felt like she rushed just to wrap it all up anyoldhow and all the deviousness and manipulation she had woven into the characters in the first half of the book. Or maybe, like me, she just got sick of Nick and Amy & wanted rid of them.

I agree, Fran. Flynn did such an amazing job with the first half of the book, then it was like Amy kind of unraveled. She was this strong, kind of awesome, spiteful sociopath. Lets face it... who hasn't fantasized about doing something drastic and awful to a guy who broke their heart? Maybe not quite this extreme, but I think the impulse is universal, which is why it resonated with so many readers. By the end, though, she is so clingy and weirdly emotional that I found I hated her even more for going back to him and trying to make things work than I did when she was being a psychopath. She didn't seem as clever somehow, like she had lost her edge and the plot and didn't know what she wanted so she just did what she had done before the whole thing started.

[Briebird]

Haven't read the book yet, but I was blown away by the movie (usually its the opposite!) I did read the first few pages of the book and was pretty hooked, but I haven't had a chance to fully get into it. I definitely will when I can. : )