Sections
Written by Gillian Flynn, Sharp Objects is a mystery novel with a suffocating atmosphere that is ultimately wasted by a plot that takes too long to become interesting. Its protagonist may be fascinating, but that doesn’t compensate for the slow pace at which her investigation is carried out.
The story follows reporter Camille Preaker when she is assigned to cover a series of murders and disappearances of children in her hometown of Wind Gap, where she needs to reencounter her family and her hateful mother.
The book opens by problematizing maternal love, reporting a case of neglect that led to the death of a woman’s offspring. The narrative is concerned with [...]
“And they say marriage is such hard work,” a character ironically reflects in a certain scene in Gone Girl. Gillian Flynn uses here a typical suspense structure to deconstruct the institution of marriage and, through the conflicts of deeply troubled characters, expose the difficulties of maintaining a long-lasting relationship.
On his fifth wedding anniversary, Nick Dunne receives the news that his wife, Amy Dunne, has disappeared. His living room was turned upside down, the street door is wide open and the cat waits for him alone on the stairs. Nick doesn’t have a convincing alibi, and the neighbors’ testimony to the police said the couple had quarreled the night [...]