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thinkertales's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
salgalruns's review against another edition
5.0
So, consider me a Gillian Flynn über fan. I am totally and completely in awe of how she can take the most psychologically twisted souls and wrap them up neatly inside of people who seem to be so totally normal.
This story revolves around a family murder in 1985, in which the youngest child, Libby, escapes and in which the oldest sibling, Ben, is accused and convicted of killing his other two sisters and mother in a bloody, Satanic rage. Flynn unravels the story through alternating POV chapters, switching from Libby's present day scenarios to 1985 retellings of both Ben or his mom, Patty.
Libby is trying to piece together what really happened. When the murders took place, she was 7, and was a very inconsistent, coached witness. After meeting with a group of people in a "Kill Club," she starts to explore other options, and is led to determine the real story, and whether her memories have any merit. Throw in some child molestation and teenage promiscuity with drugs, sex, and violence? It all adds to a very complex storyline making it difficult to predict anything with accuracy.
Flynn is a genius at twisting my hypotheses. Every time I feel I am on the right track to determining the outcome, I am thwarted. This time, I even changed my beliefs multiple times to have her do it again. Of course, by the end, I was irritated since she DID give me all the clues in advance. Argh. Twisted.
Definitely a must read for the genre. Easily added to my favorites without hesitation.
This story revolves around a family murder in 1985, in which the youngest child, Libby, escapes and in which the oldest sibling, Ben, is accused and convicted of killing his other two sisters and mother in a bloody, Satanic rage. Flynn unravels the story through alternating POV chapters, switching from Libby's present day scenarios to 1985 retellings of both Ben or his mom, Patty.
Libby is trying to piece together what really happened. When the murders took place, she was 7, and was a very inconsistent, coached witness. After meeting with a group of people in a "Kill Club," she starts to explore other options, and is led to determine the real story, and whether her memories have any merit. Throw in some child molestation and teenage promiscuity with drugs, sex, and violence? It all adds to a very complex storyline making it difficult to predict anything with accuracy.
Flynn is a genius at twisting my hypotheses. Every time I feel I am on the right track to determining the outcome, I am thwarted. This time, I even changed my beliefs multiple times to have her do it again. Of course, by the end, I was irritated since she DID give me all the clues in advance. Argh. Twisted.
Definitely a must read for the genre. Easily added to my favorites without hesitation.
veraann's review against another edition
5.0
This is the first book from Flynn that I have read. I did not want to put this book down. Read through it in about a day.
It is not a book for the lighthearted. It is pretty dark, disturbing, even depressing and Flynn does a great job of writing that. The mystery aspect of the book was done very well. There were times I thought I would figure something out and then there was more information that just didn't fit what I thought. Flynn just sucked me in from the beginning.
The book didn't necessarily have me locking all my doors and windows, but it did make me think wow what goes on in this authors head?
It is not a book for the lighthearted. It is pretty dark, disturbing, even depressing and Flynn does a great job of writing that. The mystery aspect of the book was done very well. There were times I thought I would figure something out and then there was more information that just didn't fit what I thought. Flynn just sucked me in from the beginning.
The book didn't necessarily have me locking all my doors and windows, but it did make me think wow what goes on in this authors head?
emmapolkadots's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Death of parent, Death, Pedophilia, Child death, Addiction, Suicide, Violence, Racism, Gore, Domestic abuse, and Animal cruelty
starlightandcoffee's review against another edition
Boring. Cannot get interested in. Very unlikable main character.
knittingchaos's review against another edition
4.0
Really quick read- it was hard to put down. I enjoyed the going back and forth in time and between people.
mkretsch's review against another edition
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
A bit long-winded at the beginning and in the middle but I enjoyed how everything came together