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3.86 AVERAGE
3.86 AVERAGE
dark
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Graphic: Pedophilia, Murder
One thing that really bugs me is when the author doesn't develop the main character very well. This books is a prime example of that. I thought it was slightly predictable. The main character repeats herself with words and actions quite often. I'm not sure this was so much the personality of the character. More so a bit of laziness on the author's part.
Wow, another totally absorbing, totally upsetting thriller from Flynn. This one, I think, is better than [b:Sharp Objects|66559|Sharp Objects A Novel|Gillian Flynn|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1170652330s/66559.jpg|3801], and perhaps also even more likely to make my sister throw up. Success! The alternating-narrator/time structure lends a lot to the suspense. I really liked it, and I think Flynn is a good writer with a lot of emotional insight.
Some warning for the unsure: Yes, it is very upsetting. And there is a requirement for much suspension of disbelief. You will probably not be able to "solve" the mystery, so consider yourself along for the ride. You will probably not sympathize with any of the characters. And the ending is, as with Sharp Object, a bit hurried, and I was left with a couple concerns. Here they are (spoiler alert!):
At the end, it is suggested that Ben is moving on from Diondra, but I wasn't fully convinced, since he was still obsessed with her while he was in jail, even though he knew she'd try to kill Libby if Libby ever found her. Also, what is Libby going to do for money now, and with her life? I felt that that large issue was unresolved. I was never clear what exactly Libby did with her fund money and how she spent her time before the money ran out. The novel seemed to be as much about Libby finding herself and what she wants out of life as about what really happened the night her family was murdered, but other than her being more open-minded and having a friend at the end, I still didn't feel like I knew her interests or passions. I can imagine that only now she could begin to really explore that, but if that is the case, I would have liked to have it acknowledged.
Some warning for the unsure: Yes, it is very upsetting. And there is a requirement for much suspension of disbelief. You will probably not be able to "solve" the mystery, so consider yourself along for the ride. You will probably not sympathize with any of the characters. And the ending is, as with Sharp Object, a bit hurried, and I was left with a couple concerns. Here they are (spoiler alert!):
At the end, it is suggested that Ben is moving on from Diondra, but I wasn't fully convinced, since he was still obsessed with her while he was in jail, even though he knew she'd try to kill Libby if Libby ever found her. Also, what is Libby going to do for money now, and with her life? I felt that that large issue was unresolved. I was never clear what exactly Libby did with her fund money and how she spent her time before the money ran out. The novel seemed to be as much about Libby finding herself and what she wants out of life as about what really happened the night her family was murdered, but other than her being more open-minded and having a friend at the end, I still didn't feel like I knew her interests or passions. I can imagine that only now she could begin to really explore that, but if that is the case, I would have liked to have it acknowledged.
2.5
Toooo sloooow made it boring. Really disappointing bc I loved Gone Girl so much. And I did not appreciate this:
"Against the far wall was a wire cage holding a pack of unblinking bunnies. World's dumbest pet, I thought. Who would want an animal that sat, quivered, and shat everywhere? They say you can litter-box train them, but they lie."
1. My bunny is freakishly smart, cute and fearless. He chases my dog around the house. MY DOG.
2. He is also litter trained. It's not that hard to do.
Sorry Gillian Flynn but when it comes to bunnies I take things very seriously
Toooo sloooow made it boring. Really disappointing bc I loved Gone Girl so much. And I did not appreciate this:
"Against the far wall was a wire cage holding a pack of unblinking bunnies. World's dumbest pet, I thought. Who would want an animal that sat, quivered, and shat everywhere? They say you can litter-box train them, but they lie."
1. My bunny is freakishly smart, cute and fearless. He chases my dog around the house. MY DOG.
2. He is also litter trained. It's not that hard to do.
Sorry Gillian Flynn but when it comes to bunnies I take things very seriously
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
The book definitely kept me guessing right through to the end.
I don’t know if it’s because I have had way too much going on in life that I couldn’t put my full attention into this book but it was the most disturbing story I’ve read in a really long time. Some of the lines just keep repeating and repeating throughout the book.
I read this 1-2 years after reading Gone Girl, which really wore me out. I think I figured that I would get a head rush the same way I did when I read the first novel. Two books down, her writing is consistent, and for the secret thrill of getting let in on someone else's secrets, the book is a good read and keeps you rushing towards the finale.
But, while she writes fine, there was nothing I read in this book that taught me something new about human nature that I hadn't already learned by reading Gone Girl. People keep secrets. Everyone has a dark underbelly and things they regret. Everyone screws up to different magnitudes and extremes. Childhood is fragile. What did that teach me? This is a step above bubblegum thriller, which, admittedly, does have its uses.
But, while she writes fine, there was nothing I read in this book that taught me something new about human nature that I hadn't already learned by reading Gone Girl. People keep secrets. Everyone has a dark underbelly and things they regret. Everyone screws up to different magnitudes and extremes. Childhood is fragile. What did that teach me? This is a step above bubblegum thriller, which, admittedly, does have its uses.