Gone Girl...We've all seen the movie (I should hope) so the book can't be that much different, right? So wrong!
Usually movie adaptations of books can either go really well and encourage more people to buy the book or completely flop and the book sales plummet. Usually once the movie rights are signed by the author they don't really have much of an input to what happens in the movie. We are seeing the book through the director's eyes not the author's.
So this is where Gone Girl excelled in the movie adaptation, director David Flincher, managed to maintain the author's vision and intertwine it with his own. As expected, a few bits were missed out but I remember watching it on the plane and thinking "Damn...I need to find that book."
Anyway, we are here for the book! The book was unbelievable! My only regret is that I wish I read the book first before watching the movie. So I do hope you've at least watched the movie because get ready for some spoilers. :D
First of all, the characters. Do you know what I like about Gillian Flynn? She created completely flawed protagonists that you grow to hate then you find yourself trying to understand them, looking for some kind of a likeable quality about them. So the reader is taken through an emotional rollercoaster which leads me to pose the question: who am I supposed to feel sorry for?
From an objective point of view, Amy is the "bad guy" she kills, she manipulates and most importantly, she gets away with everything. However, she provides a useful insight into how society establishes relationships. No, the "cool girl" does not exist. It's impossible for her to co-exist with her fellow man, she's not allowed to feel frustration at her partner, nor is she allowed to have any sort of expectations financially, physically, sexually etc. She just goes with the flow, "Cool girl" just lives in the moment, blah blah, blah...
My point being, she's not real. So in that sense I get Amy, I almost relate with her character, I even want to relate with her, but as Nick so delicately puts it, she is a psycho bitch.
Funny thing is, Nick? Also a "bad guy". He lies, he cheats, and most annoyingly spends 3/4 of the entire novel shifting the blame on to literally anyone else. I just wanted to shake him until he came to his senses and at least accepted some of the responsibility for the failure of his marriage.
What makes a great, crime/psychological thriller novel is one that is very close to reality. We don't get the ending that we desire.
There is nothing wrong in having expectations of your ideal partner but what are YOU bringing to the table to match that, better yet, compliment those qualities you desire?
That being said, I really hope there aren't any Amazing Amys in this world.
*Shivers*
