WIJFR: Gone Girl (I'm sure this will get spoiler-y)

84Lauren · January 2015

Ok, so I have been pulled in two totally different directions on expectations for this book, but I think after FINALLY reading it, I'm kind of in the middle!

So I can't say I hate it, because I didn't HATE it - the plot moved along pretty well (the first part draaagged, but when Amy starts talking in her real voice it definitely got interesting), and I really liked the writing. I also liked that you get pulled in a lot of different directions.

But here was my big problem - it's that I could form no attachment to the characters, and that is HUGE for me. Ok @myjunegirls and @hoycie, I hear you - you're supposed to hate the characters. But that's not it!!! I didn't hate them, either. Honestly, if I had really, really hated them I could have totally gotten behind this, and I would have had an emotional investment in what happened at the end. But after about half the book, and especially after Amy deciding she wanted to go back to Nick, I was like... MEH. I was still definitely curious how it would all turn out, but everyone was just kind of pathetic and it was more of a general distaste I had for them, than a hatred. I was not rooting for any particular outcome, that would have made me either happy or heartbroken at the end.

I think I was poisoned by knowing Ben Affleck was Nick, too. I totally pictured him throughout the whole book, and how can you hate that face??? But Nick was a douche, so I couldn't really LOVE him either.

I think I'm giving this 3 stars. I really only give books 2 stars if I didn't like it at all (and 1 star if I absolutely LOATHE a book, which has happened like 3 times ever).

myJunegirls · January 2015

I hear what you are saying. I do.

Like I've said again and again, it took me a few days (days that I couldn't stop thinking about the end) to appreciate the book. So to me- that is a mark of a well written book (as it lingered!)

They are both just such douches. They deserve each other. She's 1000x more whacked than he is- but what a pair!

Now- you need to go watch the movie!!

84Lauren · January 2015

OH! That is the other thing that hit me last night in bed... it TOTALLY didn't linger with me! To be fair, I'm sick and tired and kind of out of it. But still, I was lying there trying to breathe and go to sleep last night, and I was obsessing about plans we have this weekend and some other random stuff, and it struck me that I wasn't turning the book I'd finished less than an hour ago over in my mind.

That might be a really general way to judge something, but I'm notorious for staying awake for HOURS after finishing a book thinking about it.

Lauren620 · January 2015

The characters in this book really are horrible people. I think part of what connected me to them was how I totally fell for Amy's shenanigans in the beginning. No questions asked, I was all "Poor Amy, her husband is such a dick." So even though I thought they were both bad people and out of their ever loving minds, I still got sucked into Amy's crazy.

The story and characters lingered for me though and I really enjoyed talking about it after I finished, so that was part of what I liked about the book too. I spent some time thinking about how they were insane to get back together, but really deserved each other and WTF are they going to do from here.

MrsJenE · January 2015

My hate started in the first hundred pages. I hated the characters. Once that happened, I could never pull myself out of it to enjoy anything about the book.

myJunegirls · January 2015

MrsJenE said:

My hate started in the first hundred pages. I hated the characters. Once that happened, I could never pull myself out of it to enjoy anything about the book.

Did you really?
:P :P :P

Hoycie · January 2015

The ending to this book has stayed with me months after I read it. Even more now after watching the movie.

I loved how well GF writes the most hateful characters. Those two, like June said, are a match made in heaven. They are both such manipulative and despicable people, but I was at the edge of my seat for the majority of the book. I HAD to know what was going to happen. Whether Amy would get away with her little plan and/or if they would end up killing each other.

As for Ben, he was the PERFECT Nick, IMO. The movie was one of the best adapations I have seen in a long while.

Hoycie · January 2015

The minute he told Amy that felt sorry for her because she has to wake up and be herself every day, confirmed the fact that he had a death wish.

booneybear · January 2015

I just love this book for all the strong reactions that people have to it.

I loved it, I hated it, I was indifferent to it, but I devoured it when I read it. I hated all the characters, but this is the first book I ever read that I hated the characters and kept reading because I was so engrossed in the story that the story dulled my hatred for the characters. I wanted to see these crappy people get what was coming to them. And I think in the end that is exactly what happened. Sure it didn't have the tie everything into a pretty bow by having the crappy characters die ending but that is what makes this book so good. It would have been too easy and predictable for Gillian Flynn to just kill off the characters...instead she dared to go in a more controvertial direction and I applaud her for that. I like authors who can surprise me and she certainly surprised me with that ending.

myJunegirls · January 2015

ooneybear said:

I just love this book for all the strong reactions that people have to it.

I loved it, I hated it, I was indifferent to it, but I devoured it when I read it. I hated all the characters, but this is the first book I ever read that I hated the characters and kept reading because I was so engrossed in the story that the story dulled my hatred for the characters. I wanted to see these crappy people get what was coming to them. And I think in the end that is exactly what happened. Sure it didn't have the tie everything into a pretty bow by having the crappy characters die ending but that is what makes this book so good. It would have been too easy and predictable for Gillian Flynn to just kill off the characters...instead she dared to go in a more controvertial direction and I applaud her for that. I like authors who can surprise me and she certainly surprised me with that ending.

this is the review I need for whenever someone asks my opinion on this book

julie37619 · January 2015

booneybear said:

I just love this book for all the strong reactions that people have to it.

I loved it, I hated it, I was indifferent to it, but I devoured it when I read it. I hated all the characters, but this is the first book I ever read that I hated the characters and kept reading because I was so engrossed in the story that the story dulled my hatred for the characters. I wanted to see these crappy people get what was coming to them. And I think in the end that is exactly what happened. Sure it didn't have the tie everything into a pretty bow by having the crappy characters die ending but that is what makes this book so good. It would have been too easy and predictable for Gillian Flynn to just kill off the characters...instead she dared to go in a more controvertial direction and I applaud her for that. I like authors who can surprise me and she certainly surprised me with that ending.

Best it's been said. I couldn't agree more.

KelsNotChels · January 2015

Her ability to make me SO utterly uncomfortable is one of the main reasons I gave the book highest marks.

That discomfort is the part of it that I actually enjoyed--the manipulation. I really enjoy when authors can use their words to force feelings on me.

WIJFR: Gone Girl (I'm sure this will get spoiler-y)

Re: WIJFR: Gone Girl (I'm sure this will get spoiler-y)

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