LUCY KENNEDY: JULY BOOK REVIEW

Gone Girl - Gillian Flynn - 15+

“What are you thinking? How are you feeling? Who are you? What have we done to each other? What will we do?”

I recently had my first round of NCEA examinations, which essentially consisted of me stumbling from room to room in an stress-induced stupor, history flashcards and English exemplars in hand. I truly believe that the thing that got me through this anxiety-riddled week was Gillian Flynn’s 2012 novel Gone Girl. My copy of this book was the first thing I picked up in the morning to take my mind off the strained silence of the exam hall to come, and the last thing I put down at night. It came with me to all of my exams and, as well as being a crutch to lean on, it was equipped with an engaging, gripping plot and wonderful writing. Despite already seeing the film, the cunning twists and turns of the novel still kept me entertained.

The book begins when Nick Dunne returns from work one day to find his wife Amy missing and the house in disarray. Upon being called, the police quickly turn to Nick as their prime suspect, and from here the hunt to find Amy and validate Nick’s innocence ensues. With blunt writing that often says exactly what you are thinking, Gillian Flynn’s most famous book is a wonderful story of injustice, the pursuit for truth and the analysis of a complicated marriage. I fully recommend