So, as normal, I am a little late on the bandwagon...Gone Girl was the top-selling paperback while I was working for Waterstones back in 2012. With this one, I had heard such wildly mixed reviews, from 'I hated the book so much that I threw it across the room in disgust' to 'You won't be able to put it down!', that I just had to get my own opinion on this psychological thriller.
Nick and Amy, a beautiful all-American couple, are getting ready to celebrate their fifth wedding anniversary. However, it all goes horribly wrong when Nick arrives home to find his wife missing. As the police delve deeper into the case, and the reader also gets access to Amy's detailed diary, it seems not all was right with this seemingly idyllic marriage. As a result, Nick soon turns from being the pitied husband to main suspect. We follow him as he is quickly swept into a whirlwind of accusation, desperately trying to claw himself out and prove his innocence.
Here I would like to open a debate- can you enjoy a book if you do not like either of the protagonists? I always assumed not- how can you invest personal interest if you do not care about what happens to them? However, Flynn has changed my mind- neither Nick nor Amy are likeable, but they are both hugely charismatic. They were not characters that solely lived and breathed on the pages; they seemed to have lingering thoughts and secrets way beyond this story.
For me, the last line of a book can make or break a book; the final impression is everything. Flynn did not disappoint with the last chapter here- chillingly unexpected. After finishing, I joined online debates about the ending- opinion seemed very mixed, and my own thoughts actually evolved upon reflection. I love endings that linger in my mind, as I wonder how else it could have ended, ultimately understanding that the author's chosen ending is more brilliant than any normal, anticipated finale.
Psychological thrillers are not usually my thing- but this one was cleverly written, without being too obvious about it. Halfway through, I thought I had the story all wrapped up...how wrong could I have been?
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