Good-bye to Gone Girl

14 May Good-bye to Gone Girl

And here we have three lovely Ladies on Literature: Gail, Vikki, & Laurie @ our recent wrap-up of Gone Girl.

Gone Girl…one of the best books I’ve read in recent years…is well, gone. Over. Finished. For the LOL at least. The run away best seller inspired some serious discussion at our recent meeting, hosted by the lovely Ruth in her beautiful lakeside home. Ruth made some delicious delicacies, including coconut shrimp and stuffed mushroom caps and let’s not forget about the cream puffs, oh my! Watch for the recipes to be posted this week and meanwhile, what did the LOL think, in the end, about this work?

Most of us thoroughly enjoyed the book, finding it incredibly suspenseful, thought provoking (if not disturbing), and most certainly well-written. Interestingly, not everyone liked the ending–a common complaint among reviewers. As I’ve previously mentioned, the challenge to blogging about this book is to not ruin it for readers. If I mention specific events, surely I must sound the spoiler alert. It’s hard, then, to get too detailed about the ending, but let’s just say it was unsatisfying to some. If you’ve read any of the interviews with the author (including some posted here) you will know she felt it was the only way the book could end. Let’s just say that because it left certain issues unanswered or better–unaccounted for–the reader is left with that niggling, “OMG! Seriously! But what about….” feeling! Not that the ending isn’t plausible and it certainly isn’t one of those frustrating endings that leave you feeling ripped off, like the author just couldn’t decide how to wrap things up. It’s more, well, like the book…disturbing.

Enough said.

What I think is interesting is the idea the book is supposed to generate: Just how well do you know your spouse? Don’t we all have at least a small space  that is occupied by us alone? Even if it’s just your journal…aren’t there thoughts racing through your head you’d never want to share? This book takes that idea to an extreme. Of course, we’re talking about the relationship between two pathological people so their thoughts are downright frightening. Still, with the recent discovery of Amanda Berry and two other women held captive in a run-down house near their neighborhoods in Cleveland for more than 10 years, the idea of not really knowing your neighbors is very, very real. www.wkyc.com/news/article/299344/45/Amanda-Berry-Gina-DeJesus-Michelle-Knight-rescue-video  What if the person that is supposed to be closest to you is a stranger?

Intriguing idea. Exceptionally well-written book. While I may need a break from the intensity of her stories, I’ll be back for more of the Fabulous Flynn.

And please come back here for more from the fantastic Ruth and her recipes, tomorrow & Friday.

Cheers,

Shannon