Well this is not an official review per se, so much as I had some sporatic thoughts as I read the book “Gone Girl” that I wanted to share. First off, total kudos to Gillian Flynn, this story was phenomenal.
My Namesake
It was interesting reading a book where people kept saying “Amy” and I’m like “huh?” and then I remember. Like walking through a grocery store where someone has a kid with your name and they keep calling them out. You know it’s coming, but it still gets your attention every. single. time. If you haven’t found a book where a major character has your name, you should.
Our Play-Acting
Fav quote: “We were the first human beings who would never see anything for the first time. We stare at the wonders of the world, dull-eyed, underwhelmed. Mona Lisa, the Pyramids, the Empire State Building. Jungle animals on attack, ancient icebergs collapsing, volcanoes erupting. I can’t recall a single amazing thing I have seen firsthand that I didn’t immediately reference to a movie or TV show. A f***ing commercial. You know the awful singsong of the blasé: Seeeen it. I’ve literally seen it all, and the worst thing, the thing that makes me want to blow my brains out, is: The secondhand experience is always better. The image is crisper, the view is keener, the camera angle and the soundtrack manipulate my emotions in a way reality can’t anymore. I don’t know that we are actually human at this point, those of us who are like most of us, who grew up with TV and movies and now the Internet. If we are betrayed, we know the words to say; when a loved one dies, we know the words to say. If we want to play the stud or the smart-ass or the fool, we know the words to say. We are all working from the same dog-eared script. It’s a very difficult era in which to be a person, just a real, actual person, instead of a collection or personality traits selected from an endless Automat or characters.” – For those who have read “Gone Girl,” this quote is even better realizing that Nick is the narrator of this section….as if he subconsciously knew all along. Anyhow, this quote speaks to the modern human condition a bit, as well as give an interesting foreshadowing to the story.
Drabble’s Take
For those of you who didn’t see the shocker mid-story (no spoilers!), I hate to break the news but I totally called it. It was still a complete delight, but I knew it was coming. Because I’d read “The Seven Sisters” by Margaret Drabble in college. It’s like a literary version that uses a similar shocking twist. In case you’re looking for a more literary, less thiller, angle of this type of psychological exploration.
Your Side (what I was dying to dialogue about)
I’d love a discussion as to who is the villain and who is the victim. Amy? Nick? Who’s the worst here, who’s the instigator? I’m not talking theological “They both chose their sin” sort of thing, I get that. But I’m interested to hear thoughts. Is Amy relatable? Is Nick? Were they meant for each other? Are they more destructive being together or separate? Answer some or all of these questions in the comments, I’d love your thoughts and I’ll share mine.