The Complete Gillian Flynn: Gone Girl, Dark Places, Sharp Objects

I like Sharp Objects the most, then Gone Girl and finally Dark Places. I bought the collection recently even though I had read all 3 books years ago.

I haven't read Gone Girl as I've already watched the movie. If you have watched it, you would know that the book would be readable but since you know the ending, it does take a charm out of reading it. Sharp objects seems to be Flynn's debut novel, and the writing style is still developing and so the work does feel raw at places. The characters are slightly less believable and the novel is also shorter than the other two. (This is a three book combo). I liked Dark Places much better. This one is a more rounded and well-researched book, plus the multi-perspective writing (with chapters being written from the perspective of multiple characters and also going back and forth in the timeline) that Flynn has deployed here (as well as in Gone Girl) suits her writing better. If you have to read one book from Flynn (and if you have watched the Gone Girl movie), make it Dark Places.

Gone Girl is the best of the three books. Thoroughly enjoyed it and was hard to put it down. The leading female characters in the other two books - Sharp Objects and Dark Places - are slow. However, the plots are rather interesting.

After I was impressed with 'Gone Girl', I decided to read the other 2 books that are a part of the collection. Honestly, I liked 'Gone Girl' better. But 'Sharp Objects' and 'Dark Places' will definitely give you the chills! Gillian Flynn's writing style is such that her description of situations/ feelings in past and present tenses starts fuelling your imagination and further adds fuel to the build up of events. The storyline of each book is completely different from the other. So if you're looking for a good read, then go for this collection. You won't be disappointed!

The Best Read Ever!! Three books in one at a killer price....What's more is that each of these novels explore the dark side of mankind and Gillian Flynn does a fantastic job of bringing grey characters to the fore....Brilliant!!

Dark places is the best

good book

Enjoyed these books - well written and interesting. Really dark, though and I needed to take a break between them!

Bought for a daughter she loves reading. Not waste of money.

Gone Girl: I feel a little flabbergasted, let down, restless... I feel the ending of a book needs an ending, yet I don't think I got one. I need, must know what happens next... My conscience will not accept an imaginative extended ending. It's truly hard to share my opinions on this book, on the characters, and where my head is at without revealing what I feel is left unknown to those who have not read. But one thing I can say is I thoroughly enjoyed this read even though I needed it to give me more. Dark Places: You know when you finally peel away all the papery layers of the skin off an onion and then go to cut into it only to find you’ve missed the slimy translucent film that still needed to be pulled away? Well… That’s how you feel reading Gillian Flynn’s novel Dark Places… The twisting plot, horrific people, and ever changing suspects leave an icky sickening feeling in the pit of your stomach. Even so, Flynn has the ability to make the reader connect with these characters with little to no redeeming values. Why must I yearn for them to find a ‘good ending’? This is the second Gillian Flynn book I’ve read (the first one being Gone Girl) and am happy to report it is yet another page turner. Dark Places takes you through the days leading up to and of a grousome butchering of a mother and her daughters in 1985 while at the same time you’re spending time with the one surviving daughter, Libby Day, in present time as she looks back on that horrific day and to discover what really happened. If you love a good ‘whodunit’ mystery and you’re not at all squeamish, this IS your next read. The deeper I got into the book the more my mind was consumed by gritty and raw thoughts, especially when I was reading late at night. As I fell asleep with the characters, their actions, their thoughts, and what they were going to do next my psyche jumbled everything together and allowed these characters to leave their fictional existence and enter mine… I’ve always found this a sign of a good book, when you get so engrossed the lines between fictional and reality blur you’re forced to step back and remind yourself the characters do not exists. I immediately started reading Flynn’s novel Sharp Objects after finishing Dark Places and as I was drifting asleep reading the pages I kept inserting Diondra (a character from Dark Places) into the pages… At that point I knew (1) Flynn had a done an amazing job at hooking her reader and (2) I was yearning for more out of Dark Places. As with Gone Girl Flynn had taking her ending and set it right next to a beautiful gift box and ribbon… Not quite nice enough to put in the box and tie the bow… leaving me feeling cheated of that ‘good ending’ (with no lose ends) I desired. Sharp Objects: Gillian Flynn has the ability to deliver a raw and wicked mystery again and again, leaving the reader (and the characters) feeling unwell. This is the third book I’ve read by Flynn and I once again loved the journey she took me on and I will undoubtedly pick up the next she writes. In Sharp Objects we take a journey with journalist Camille Preaker back to her home town to unveil the mystery of recent murders of two preteen girls. Along with Camille we unravel secrets that the Wind Gap locals never thought would see light. In guessing who committed such heinous acts to these young girls I am particularly disappointed with myself. I feel I had my finger on the pulse of the mystery and ending up taking the worm Flynn dangled in front of me, leaving me to ignore the bread crumbs Flynn so carefully laid out for me. Nonetheless, I found my self transfixed with the novel, the characters, the grittiness, the imperfection… If you pick up this novel you will not be disappointed.

Muito bom

Ich habe mir die Bücher gekauft weil ein Mädel neben mir im Flugzeug Gone Girl auf englisch gelesen und es mir auch wärmstens empfohlen hat. Und da ich gerne Schnäppchen mache waren direkt alle drei Bücher auf meinem Kindle. Und ich muss sagen es hat sich gelohnt. Da ich leider nur mit Schulenglisch ausgestattet bin war es am Anfang etwas mühselig die Bücher zu lesen und es hat sich etwas gezogen, da man halt ne weile braucht um reinzukommen, wenn man sonst nicht (jedenfalls nicht oft) auf englisch ließt. Naja nach meiner Findungsphase habe ich die Bücher verschlungen. Sie sind sehr gut und spannend geschrieben und das Ende konnte ich bei Gott nie voraussehen. Das finde ich persönlich besonders spannend an ihren Büchern. Normalerweile bekommt man ja so seine Hinweishäppchen hingeworfen und kann dann erahnen wie das Ende sein wird. Aber nicht bei Gillian Flynn! Jeder dem das übliche "der Butler oder der Ehemann wars" Gedudel auf den Senkel geht oder dem die sexy Cop nummer aufn Geist geht sollte ihre Bücher lesen! Es geht um etwas andere Frauen die ihren Weg gehen und dabei, Gillian sei Dank, nicht rumheulen wie besch*ssen das alles gerade so ist, sondern einfach tun bzw. planen. Mehr will ich nicht vorweg nehmen. Holt sie euch und fangt an während des lesens zu grübeln wers wohl war oder ob um dann am Ende sowieso falsch zu liegen ;)