Gillian Flynn’s novel. It’s a famous novel, right? And the movie, starring Rosamund Pike and Ben Affleck, did well, too, yeah? I saw the movie back in 2014 and thought it was wild, so I found a used copy of the book, put it on a shelf, and let it sit for 9 years. I’m trying to reduce the TBR, so I found an audiobook copy and listened to Gone Girl while exercising.
Amy grew up in New York City the only child of wealthy parents who made their money writing a series of children’s books about a girl named “Amazing Amy.” In her thirties, she marries Nick, who grew up working class in Missouri and had a lovely mother and angry, toxic father. He has a twin named Margo (“Go” for short). They’re in love and happy, as evidenced of years of Amy’s diary. Well, she’s in love. Nick seems less enamored, and when the book opens, it’s his 5th wedding anniversary, but he hasn’t bothered to make a dinner reservation or buy a gift. Meanwhile, Amy traditionally makes lobster and crafts a scavenger hunt with clues based on their relationship.
Things in the marriage may be sour for obvious reasons: during the Great Recession of 2008, Nick and Amy lost their jobs, which shouldn’t be a big deal because she has a large trust fund, almost $1,000,000, which is enough but won’t last forever. Then, Nick’s mom has cancer and his dad has dementia, so Nick and Amy leave New York City with conflicting feelings for each other and head to Missouri to care for the mother until she dies. The dad gets put in a home because nobody cares about him, literally. Does Amy resent Nick for losing his job, for having ailing parents, for moving her out of the city? Or is Nick projecting because he feels like a failure?
To give him a “place” and a new start, Amy loans Nick and his twin the money to start a bar together. It is there that Nick receives a call from the neighbor that the front door of Nick’s house is open and the cat is out. Where is Amy? Nick heads home where we learn Amy is gone. Was she kidnapped? Did she leave? Did Nick murder his wife? There is an overwhelming amount of evidence that suggests Nick is the perpetrator.
Gone Girl was that thriller that really seemed to relaunch thrillers as a genre, and I can’t forget how for years every new thriller was compared to Gone Girl — to the point where such blurbs meant nothing due to oversaturation. So, chances are you know how the novel turns out. I knew one aspect because I had seen the movie, but the interiority of the novel is much better. You really get into the psyche of a psychopath, catching slips here and there, which are revealed by momentary lapses in diligence and hypervigilance.
Flynn also paints a novel that embodies America. For example, as Amy learned more about the midwest after they move to Missouri, she noted that Republicans shop at Sam’s Club and Democrats shop at Costco. I hadn’t thought of that before, but it’s so true. She did her best to blend in to the culture of Frito pies and synthetic clothing material. She noticed the problems with TV commercials: “Tampon commercial, detergent commercial, maxi pad commercial, windex commercial – you’d think all women do is clean and bleed.” Amy is hypnotically detail-oriented in a way that show’s Flynn’s skill as a writer. Nick didn’t see Amy trying; he felt she refused to join any girls’ night out or “women’s party” (e.g., something like Tupperware). But time goes on — and where is Amy? The longer she’s gone, the worse it looks for Nick.
I really enjoyed the audiobook and thought Julia Whelan reading Amy’s narration was perfect. She changes her inflection and delivery based on context and new information. However, though Kirby Heyborne did a good job actually reading Nick’s part, I felt his voice was too mid-range for the character. Nick is described as having a trademark smirk that gets him out of situations and responsibilities, and truthfully, I think Ben Affleck’s voice is perfect for the character. Low, smooth, good delivery when angry or persuasive. Still, the audio was great, and I expect the text version comes of the page just the same.
Grab the Lapels 
I don’t think Amy “did her best to blend in to the culture of Frito pies and synthetic clothing material.” I think she was snotty and superior about it. And yes, I did react this way because I grew up in the area where the book and movie are set.
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When I was listening to it I really thought she did her best, but that’s because I was on the part where she was reading the fake diary, the one that makes you try to sympathize with the good wifey.
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I’m glad you enjoyed this! I couldn’t put up with Amy & Nick’s points of view – I really don’t like being asked to share headspace with such unpleasant people, especially in first person, and that’s why I abandoned it in the end. I thought it was well-written and I understand why it got so much hype – it just wasn’t for me at all.
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That’s interesting about the first-person headspace. Nick and I just listened to an audiobook with four unpleasant narrators, but all four were in 3rd person. I still hated all of them, but maybe that bit of distance made a difference.
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Unlike Lou I don’t mind being in the heads of unpleasant people. I don’t want them in my family or as my friends, but I am interested in understanding what makes these people tick.
I really enjoyed your post but you can tell that I’m not a thriller reader, that in fact I’m not much interested in plots, when I tell you that I saw the movie but I have no recollection how it turned out. I have no idea what happened to Amy but I think there was a twist!
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I don’t typically read thrillers, but this one is a cultural touchstone, so I felt the need to read it. Much like when I saw the first Twilight movie in theater despite having no interest in it. At the time, I was teaching at an all-women’s college, and they were obsessed, so I wanted to know more.
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That was totally my thought when I saw this title – “Wait, she’s not really a thriller reader!”
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You got me! There are not a lot that I’ve read. A few Ruth Ware books, because the premise always sound close to horror, but she has the same tactic for making readers stick to her books (holding back the reveal when we’re so close to it) that annoys me, so I’m done with her books.
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I think that was being a good teacher, so good on you.
Isn’t horror a form of thriller? In my head I have them together though I know there is a difference! When I think horror I think of thriller on steroids. All that tension with horror added for good measure.
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I’ve picked up some thrillers because they sound more like ghost stories. It depends on the subgenre. Some thrillers have a murderer or a ghost. I think a horror novel will focus more on the horror elements than the tension in plot.
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Thanks Melanie … all makes sense.
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I love your point about how this novel embodies America! I really remember in the movie too, how Rosamund Pike becomes a midwesterner when she leaves Nick. I’ve been reading tons of Liane Moriarty books recently, and just read her latest book Apples Never Fall. I think it’s similar to Gone Girl, it’s not a proper Thriller I guess, but it’s about family dynamics and even though it’s set in Australia it feels like it’s about Americans anyways LOL. Also have you heard of The Silent Patient? It’s even more extreme than Gone Girl IMO but still super fast paced and good.
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My mom was reading some Liane Moriarty for a while there, and she thought the writing could be quite funny! I always forget Moriarty is Australian, but she’s one of their most popular writers. I’ve heard of The Silent Patient, but I hadn’t realized it was a thriller. For some reason, it’s tucked in my brain under classics, but I realized I may be confusing it with another novel.
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It’s been so long since I read this book (and watched the movie) but I do agree with all you’re saying. That stuff about Democrats and Costco is something I wouldn’t know about (we only have Costco up here in Canada!) but such a good line about women only bleeding and cleaning haha
I also very distinctly remember this launching thrillers, domestic thrillers, which is still very much going strong today. I’m hoping this also increased the number of books read by people in general, as it was so popular. Gillian Flynn walked so Ruth Ware could run LOL
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Anne, that’s a great point about this novel potentially being a catalyst for people reading more than they did before. And even though I hate marketing that says stuff like “like Gone Girl…” maybe that marketing attracted readers who may have only read Flynn and then stopped to keep reading in general.
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I really think Gone Girl reminded women how fun it was read to thrillers, I have friends who still ask me for books like Gone Girl haha
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I’ve listened to Gone Girl a couple of times, and probably will a third time, because I’ve forgotten the ending again. I remember being on Amy’s side because the twin sister thing is very nearly impossible to live with. What else do I remember? Nick spends far too much time at the bar; they live in a modern out-of-place house on the edge of town. That’s it probably. I wouldn’t remember that much, but your summary brought it back.
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There is so much to this book that feels distinctly American to me; in a way, it’s good insight into the country. Both the narrators read the story clearly, which makes for a good re-listen. Question: when you listen to audiobooks from the U.S., do you ever struggle with the accent? Sometimes I try audiobooks out of Scotland or Ireland or Australia, and I can’t always follow along. I get the feeling you’re going to say you don’t struggle, and that it’s likely because a lot of American media reaches Australia constantly, whereas the opposite isn’t true.
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It’s been ages since I read this and saw the movie but both were gripping! The book really did define the genre for like a decade. But there’s a reason for that – it’s good! Ben Affleck was perfect in that part too.
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Yeah, Rosamund Pike was so perfect as a wife, and then when she goes crazy-eyed, it’s convincing, too. I can totally believe Pike as a well-to-do wife who loses all the poise.
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[…] reading through all the comments, I realized that Anne @ I’ve Read This made a great point. Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn may have been one of those books that was so popular, causing people to pressure their friends to […]
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I read this years ago, pretty early on before the movie and just as it was starting to be majorly hyped. So it really was shocking when I got to Amy’s perspective and began to realize who she really was. I’ve never seen the movie but Ben Affleck does seem like a good choice for the role.
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I thought Affleck was great–self-assured, easy to hate when he gets that smarmy look on his face. The voice actor for the audio did a great job reading, but didn’t fit that self-assuredness I wanted.
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Oh god I’ve been to Sam’s Club! Argh! I haven’t read this book and get it mixed up with a train one, perhaps? But you’re right, it did kick start this domestic thrillers thing (there’s a sleep titled one here which did similar at a similar time) which is a genre I tend to leave alone. But I enjoyed your take on it.
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The Girl on the Train came after Gone Girl and was heralded as the next Gone Girl. For ages, everything was Girl or Woman something. Ruth Ware wrote The Woman in Cabin 10.
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That’s the one. And Before I Go to Sleep was a UK one that started off another lot of them.
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