The Novels of Gillian Flynn: Sharp Objects, Dark Places by Gillian Flynn

The Novels of Gillian Flynn: Sharp Objects, Dark Places Reviews

• 
  Kayla

  OMG! I have read all three of these novels by Gillian Flynn and I must say that they are some of the best stories I've read in my life. First of all, I accidentally read them in reverse starting with Gone Girl, then Dark Places and Sharp Objects, but if I had to list an order of my favorite to least favorite it would be: Gone Girl (Can't wait for the movie), Sharp Objects (which I finished today) and then Dark Places. It's hard to write good reviews without spoilers so I'll just be as basic and brief as possible. Gone Girl had the best plot, it hit close to home for me. Sharp Objects was a pretty easy to solve mystery from the beginning even though it seems that the characters themselves weren't able to see what I saw until the very end. (I guess that's how books work though) and then Dark Places had the most surprising outcome for me. I mean I never would have guessed......anywho, these are definitely must reads. I want more from this author. ASAP!
• 
  Ingo

  Started July 23rd 2014 with Dark Places as Sharp Objects might be the BOTM August 2014 read of the Goodreads-Group
  Psychological Thrillers.
  Hopefully I will have finished Dark Places until then.
  Well, Sharp Objects did not become the BOTM read.
  But I finished Dark Places July 30th, 2014. Nearly tl;dr. The different POVs where expertly concluded, with me guessing the whole time what might have happened at the night of the massacre - and guessing wrong (mostly). The twists up to the conclusion where pure genius.
  Solid 4 stars, highly recommended.
  But why only 4 stars? It could and should have been shorter, for me about 20 %. The descriptions of places, animals and plants where sometimes ok, but sometimes too long and too many for me to be satisfying or needed. The suspense was decreased for me and I sometimes had to push myself to not abandon the book or take a break by reading a different book in between.
  
  As this is combined with the other books I will hold off with rating till I have read the first book ( Sharp Objects ) which is much shorter, luckily.
  But it might be a while until I read it.
  #-> Link reminder edt. out
  https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/... BOTM of Dark Places < -
• 
  Chrissy

  This book was dark and very troubling, but I enjoyed it. A little disappointed at the end, but still happy I read it. At multiple points in the book I wondered how it was possible that a story like this occurs in someone's imagination.
• 
  Kelly

  I have finished Sharp Objects but haven’t started Dark Places. It’s hard to separate the two since they are combined in one book.
  
  Sharp Objects does follow suit with the author’s ability to twist tales from what seems “normal” into something so completely insane! There’s always some speculation about “who did it” with the police always pointing a finger at the most obvious person. Of course, the perpetrator is rarely the most obvious person but rather someone with whom the victim trusts.
• 
  Romily

  This is Gillian Flynn's chilling debut novel, set in the small suffocating town of Wind Gap. Camille returns to her home town on a journalistic assignment to cover two child murders for her Chicago paper. The penetrating descriptions of the town and its inhabitants create an atmosphere at once surreal and menacing. However the chief success of the book lies in the exploration of destructive family relationships. Flynn has a talent for injecting unease into her narratives, never allowing her readers the security of guessing the next step in her plot.
• 
  Becky Moser

  Whew! Both of these are so dark! but still, excellent reads. I didn't figure out the "whodunit" on Dark Places.
• 
  Karen

  Her best book...very disturbing...loved it
• 
  Diana

  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.
• 
  Bonnie

  Very disappointed with this book. I picked it up with high expectations as I enjoyed Gone Girl so much. The "mystery" in this story was very easy to guess and the characters were easy to care about.
• 
  Rebecca Dunbar

  SHARP OBJECTS;
  
  Well - flew through the book, very readable and fast-paced. But also very dark, not for the faint-hearted (me) .... In desperate need of a Disney fix if I'm to have any chance of sleeping tonight.
  Preferred Gone Girl, as it was more polished and slick.
• 
  Libby Howard

  Both dark and twisted but in a can't stop reading kind of way.
• 
  Linda

  I liked 'sharp objects' better than 'dark places' but still liked both books. Very dark stories but interesting
• 
  Bri

  Out of all three of her books I've read, this one was my favorite. So many twist and turns.
• 
  Carollyn Gehrke

  Her style "recipe" holds true in these two books and are just as enjoyable as Gone Girl.
• 
  Kelly Cole

  Gone Girl her best. I was not overly fond of Sharp Objects in the least. Just didn't have the climatic tone Gone Girl and Dark Places did.
• 
  Ava

  I only read Sharp Objects in this -- I didn't realize it also had Dark Places in it until I had to return it, so this review is just for the former. It was definitely attention-grabbing, but more in a sensationalist way than because of anything substantive or truly interesting. I had also read repeatedly that Flynn's work is very feminist in its tone and approach, but if this book is any indication, that is really super not correct. Aside from the weird undertones of sexism from the protagonist (which, sure, maybe it's just internalized from her childhood, I could buy that), there's this pervasive message of "men aren't the only people who are bad! Women are also bad! Look how bad women are!" I was really disappointed at how this was handled. I think the typical assumption that a woman couldn't be the killer/villain/etc is definitely a rich vein to explore, but ignoring all of the shit that the men around them do just to highlight that WOMEN ARE BAD TOO left a really bad taste in my mouth.
• 
  Irene B.

  Draws you in as the plot becomes increasinly sinister, but not my kind of story. Well written, but I don't care much for the boozing, self-harming main character. Too depressing. Started the second novel included, but think I'll just give it a pass. Don't need any more darkness in our lives right now.
  
  Book was recommended by my library's e-book system after I started reading Simone St. James ghost stories. I was looking for something new, mysterious, and fairly light reading to take my mind off things.
• 
  Lama Zakzak

  I gave Sharp Objects 3.5 and Dark Places 3 starts. I liked Sharp Objects better. The characters are better developed. I felt for them more than those in Dark Places. In Dark Places all of the characters are dull and just not interesting in any way. I seriously didn't care whether they live or die, suffer or get redemption. I will definitely read more books by Gillian Flynn. I like her writing style. It is engaging generally and I can't say no to a good Southern Gothic book!
• 
  Dana *

  After reading all three novels, I have definitely added a new favorite author to my list. Sometimes I saw the movie/series first, sometimes I read the book first. Very well done in any case.
  
  A mind that conceives of Diondra and Amazing Amy is a storyteller i want to follow. The author doesn't get stuck in any class, and can tell a story from many perspectives. Love it!!
• 
  Ashley

  I enjoyed both stories but sharp objects was definitely better in my opinion. The ending seems like more could have been said though in sharp objects. And the same with dark places. Dark places was hard to read because the main character is written to be so unlikable but relatable in a way.
• 
  Chance

  Wow, love the plot twists and the Missouri/Kansas setting. Dark Places was fairly predictable after reading Sharp Objects but that didn't take away enough mystery to keep guessing myself. Now, on to Gone Girl :) loved the movie, I can only imagine the book.
• 
  Chy Green

  Both stellar reads you'll not put down for a moment until you finish.
  
  Both stories are incredible, fascinating, absorbing tales that will have you twisting and turning until the reveal very end! Superb!