Sharp Objects: A Novel
by Gillian Flynn
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Book Reviews of Sharp Objects: A Novel
Book Review: Fear, Loathing...and Scars of a Small Town Life
Summary: 3 Stars
Camille Preaker is a fragile being. She's like a three-legged chair trying to keep its balance, and barely managing to do so. Then, she's asked by her editor (and unspoken surrogate father) to return to her small town, the source of her fragility, fear, scars, and demons, to hunt down the story behind the deaths of two girls. What she encounters are lots of people she doesn't like, including members of her own family. She's suggestible to manipulation, craves love, but friendly attention will do, but mostly wants to please her boss.
The author mocks small town life to create the dark, nasty, vindictive and secrets-bound environment which helps create the story's suspense. The antipathy Camille opines about almost all of the people led me to almost stop reading the novel, so much of downer about human beings, their motives, and behavior it depicted.
The story is a sad one: of the boredoms, and petty, and not-so-petty cruelties, of small town existence. It's also sad in its depiction of cruel, harried and ignorant parenting.
Ms. Flynn wrote a tale of sharp pictures and scenes, a sympathetic protagonist, and of love turned dark, ugly, warped, or in little evidence.
The story's last sentence feels like it was added to leave the reader questionably uplifted.
And, I will look for Ms. Flynn's next novel. She's got a gift, but one that shows more potential than what shows up in this novel.
Book Review: Page-turner, as advertised
Summary: 4 Stars
As indicated by the blurbs on the back cover of Gillian Flynn's 'Sharp Objects,' the novel is difficult to put down once you start reading it. The characterizations are sharply etched, with Camille (the protagonist and narrator), Amma (Camille's half sister), and Camille's mother, Adora, especially acutely described. The descriptions of life and environs of southeast Missouri are vivid, although somewhat unflattering-- Ms. Flynn suggests throughout that the residents of southeast Missouri are either rednecks, 'white trash,' or snobbish elites. Anyone who has ever been to southeast Missouri or southwest Illinois will recognize *some* of that, but, again, the overall portrait of the residents is not admiring.
The weakest part of the book is the climax. The revelation of the perpetrator of double murder that is the focus of the plot will catch the reader by surprise. Up until the end, Ms. Flynn brilliantly aims the focus of the police investigation first at one logical suspect, then another. Once the true offender is divulged, this reader was bemused that (i) the plotting gave little evidence that this person commited the double homicide; and, (ii) since the police and an otherwise-proficient detective 'on loan' from Kansas City did not suspect the killer either, one surmises that there were no 'clues.' Given the perpetrator's relative youth, the 'no clues' undertone struck me as implausible.
Book Review: A pretty good first novel
Summary: 3 Stars
Gillian Flynn needs another review like we need 12 more seasons of American Idol, but I thought I should to make it an even 110 reviews (for now). So MANY reviews, in and of itself should say something about the power of this novel. Yes, I think the fact that the protagonist is a "cutter" is part of the brewhaha (my spelling), but there's a lot more going on here. Flynn has a keen eye and if I can borrow from a college professor who borrowed it himself, a "rapier whit." This novel is about the weirdest sorts of codependency, as well as child and self abuse. The plot, for me, was less important than Flynn's observations about things like the types of bars in small towns, the types of men who inhabit them, and the ladies of leisure who live in Wind Gap. The words Camille Preaker has carved into her body are manifestations of her guilt that almost literally cry out at dramatic turn in the novel. On the surface, yes, this is a thriller that, at times, moves a little too slowly. However, at a deepr level it's a novel about shame, guilt, priviledge, codependency, addiction, and the need to be loved. Some of these are pretty common themes, but Flynn has added new twists that make this novel stand out from much of the muck that get published today. I thought this first novel was unique and compelling. I look forward to more from Gillian Flynn.Book Review: TOO MUCH
Summary: 3 Stars
This book is TOO MUCH. Too much sex, too much alcohol, too much drug use, too much self-mutilation, too many people intent on the destruction of themselves and others. The narrator and her family could be poster children for the 21st century version of any Grimms fairy tale (only without the happy ending).
The narrator, Camille Preaker, a reporter (with more than a few problems of her own) returns to her home town to investigate the murder of two young girls. The town of Wind Gap harbors more than it's share of bizarre characters and would be an excellent place to set up practice if you happen to be a psychiatrist in search of a new client base.
We have a self-centered, irrational mother; an out of control half-sister, high school friends all displaying symptoms of neurotic behaviour, murder victims who are less than sympathetic, and a group of insidious teen-aged girls who could have stepped out of a work by John Saul or perhaps Edgar Alan Poe.
Gillian Flynn writes of her unhinged creations; malovolent females, victims and victimizers, poisoness environments, with such clarity and knowledge, it makes one wonder about the childhood of this writer.
All in all, not a very pretty tale.....but one that does stay with you like a bad dream. Two and a half stars.
Book Review: 3.5 stars: Do you like your characters at max quirkiness?
Summary: 3 Stars
WOW! into the first 2 pages I knew I was in for a terrific read..the writing exciting, compelling.
Flynn is an artist with a very keen eye; her story full of rich descriptions and observations. She doesn't miss a trick, creating a fascinating sense of time and place, interesting characters, and a protagonist, Camille, neurotic yet intelligent and witty, that I adored right from the get-go. There's nothing predictable or mundane in these pages, and the author's sharp dry sense of humor throughout is the icing on the cake.
Oh-oh, as we move through the story we're going beyond dysfunctional and getting a tad unbelievable. Still love the author's writing and ability to tell a good story though.
I always thought my characters couldn't be quirky enough, but this author has proven me wrong. Too far fetched to believe Camille would be sent on an assignment that would involve her so personally (seems more a convenience for the story line) and the characters all become unbelievably over the edge at some point to like or be able to care about anymore. In retrospect it seems interesting that only the male characters retained enough humanity or balance to ring true for me in the end. However I am excited to see that Flynn has written another book, and will absolutely give that one a read as well.