The Complete Gillian Flynn: Gone Girl, Dark Places, Sharp Objects (2014) - Plot & Excerpts
Luckily I read "Gone Girl" first, and I did like it very much. It was so fresh and mind-boggling. After reading "Sharp Objects" and then starting and refusing to continue "Dark Places," my opinion is that Flynn was ramping up to the quality of "Gone Girl." The characters in "Sharp Objects" were just simply unbelievable, and I found myself very upset with the choices Camille was making. Hard to be sympathetic towards her, but I figured I should soldier on and finish it. Ending was supposed to be surprising, I guess, but I didn't really care about any of it in the end. Then I went right into "Dark Places," and the protagonist was so very very unlikable and ridiculous that I just said ENOUGH and stopped reading it. I tried to give these books a 3.5 rating, but apparently that isn't possible. I enjoyed Sharp Objects more, although when I reflect upon them both, I think the plot and twists of Dark Places are better. Maybe because I read them back to back and was getting tired of Flynn's uber-dysfunctional families? Flynn really is a master of the psychological thriller, with evocative writing that backs up her Byzantine plots.
What do You think about The Complete Gillian Flynn: Gone Girl, Dark Places, Sharp Objects (2014)?
Dark! Only read Sharp Objects, because I wasn't sure I could handle two of her books in a row!
—Jak
Her style "recipe" holds true in these two books and are just as enjoyable as Gone Girl.
—cjr
Sharp objects is a good, quick read but not as good as Gone Girl.
—Sandy
Gillian Flynn sure knows how to create twisted families.
—heena
