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A review by absolutechaos
Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Wow this book hits you in the kneecaps. It leaves you feeling slimy and wrong on the inside, which is what a lot of people want from the genre and almost certainly what Flynn wanted to achieve, so she nailed it there. The atmosphere is unsettling, upsetting, and sickening. I mean it as a compliment.
The synopsis of the book made me think it would be a mystery, but it’s more focused on our protagonist, Camille. It’s an examination of her childhood, patterns of self harm, and her fractured family dynamics. As a sucker for stories about generational trauma, I loved this aspect. Camille’s mother is a striking character and I enjoyed her presence in the book.
Honestly the reason this has three stars is that it personally isn’t for me. I didn’t enjoy the repeated descriptions of sexual assault of children. It had its place in the book, but wasn’t part of its core and so at times, it felt like the author was aiming for shock value more than anything. I personally would have preferred the book have a bit more restraint, as it’s throughout the whole book repeatedly and I think less could have been more here. But this isn’t my genre of choice and I get that a lot of people find this element compelling and raw.
Don’t read this book if you’re squeamish and if you have any major triggers, please check if the book has them. It does not hold back.
The synopsis of the book made me think it would be a mystery, but it’s more focused on our protagonist, Camille. It’s an examination of her childhood, patterns of self harm, and her fractured family dynamics. As a sucker for stories about generational trauma, I loved this aspect. Camille’s mother is a striking character and I enjoyed her presence in the book.
Honestly the reason this has three stars is that it personally isn’t for me. I didn’t enjoy the repeated descriptions of sexual assault of children. It had its place in the book, but wasn’t part of its core and so at times, it felt like the author was aiming for shock value more than anything. I personally would have preferred the book have a bit more restraint, as it’s throughout the whole book repeatedly and I think less could have been more here. But this isn’t my genre of choice and I get that a lot of people find this element compelling and raw.
Don’t read this book if you’re squeamish and if you have any major triggers, please check if the book has them. It does not hold back.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Addiction, Misogyny, Self harm, Sexual assault, Domestic abuse, Bullying, Murder, Death, Adult/minor relationship, Child death, Drug use, Grief, and Sexism