I bought a Kindle edition of this book from a gift card. And it was long overdue being in my to-read shelf. What I really love about this novel is that it does an excellent job in manipulating the readers's mind and does it successfully. The first part of the story is a series of diary entries by the lead character, Amy Dunne. It gives a very sympathetic outlook of her. I felt very sorry for what she had been through. Honestly, it leaves your eyes in tears. And you will feel exactly opposite about her husband, Nick Dunne. In fact I got furious about him. Its the tale about the disappearance of Amy and trying to find her if she's alive. But as the second part approaches, there is a sudden change in perspectives in the way we look up to the characters. Whether its real or not, I'll leave it for you guys to decide. But the twist is overwhelmingly atrocious, cruel, disturbing and repulsive. It freezes our minds for a few moments in trying to accept this dramatic shift in the story. Then I realized - you can count on evidence, but not your thoughts.
The characters develop splendidly as the chapters progresses; thus unfolding the instincts of each of them. Apart from the central plot, the book explains how media can be exploited to turn everyone against you; to make people think what you are based on forging a public opinion and luring them to believe it without facts. Also, it talks about the family bonding. No matter what happens, your family will be there to stand by your side. This is evident by the relationship showcased between Nick and his twin sister.
The heart of story is how people pretend to be someone else in order to be accepted as perfect. Despite our shortcomings, almost all of us wear masks when we face the world outside our own. We crave for people to believe that we are nice, kind, generous, helpful, etc. But the real face unveils itself in marriage.
On the whole its an entertaining read - it plays with the mind all along. And most importantly, all the themes it describes are intertwined nicely. The episodes it presents to us are perfectly structured showcasing the discipline of the author, Gillian Flynn. I am looking forward to watching the film adaptation of this novel.
Footnote (Spoiler Alert)
The only thing I didn't like about the novel is its ending: Nick compromises with Amy. I expected a more exciting end to the story. I wanted Nick to outsmart his wife in someway or the other and send her to prison (or a mental asylum). I couldn't tolerate the height of harassment inflicted on him by her just because she wanted to be
Amazing Amy to the whole world. He has to watch out for every word he utters and each step he takes every moment of his life. How could he live a life with her peacefully without a bond between their hearts? How can he choose to live with someone who plays torturous mind games with him all the time? It's like living in hell. I just couldn't agree with this.
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