Having heard the buzz around Gillian Flynn’s Gone Girl, I knew I had to check out her previous books, starting with Sharp Objects.
A psychological thriller is just what I needed, and I’m glad it delivered, for the most part.
Synopsis
Camille Preaker recently released from a psychiatric hospital which she was committed to for ‘cutting’, returns to her old small town of Wind Gap, Missouri, to use her journalist eye on the recent disappearances.
Over the past few months, two teenage girls have disappeared, both with the characteristic of having their teeth removed after being killed.
Working for the Chicago Daily Post, Camille must not only find out who committed these atrocities and cover the story before others, but she must also face up to her painful past.
A town so suffocating and small, you tripped over people you hated every day. People who knew things about you. It’s the kind of place that leaves a mark.
Gillian Flynn, Chapter 5
Her strained relationship with her overbearing mother, Adora, and the thirteen-year-old sister she never sees, Amma.
Strained Relationships
Camille’s mother Adora is not only protective of her daughters, but she’s also downright oppressive. Watching over their every move, commenting on their lives and guilt-tripping them for their actions, Amma is a heinous human being.
She also treats Amma as her ‘baby doll’, despite Amma herself being a nasty little bitch who only wants to humiliate her friends.
Every time people said I was pretty, I thought of everything ugly swarming beneath my clothes.
Gillian Flynn, Chapter 10
Camille’s past consists of her cutting various words into her body to find a release from her struggles, mainly her mother.
While uncovering the mysteries of the girls, Camille starts to notice similarities, not just between the girls, but between her and them.
Could this be one of the keys to unlocking the truth behind the murders?
Sharp Objects is an excellent introduction to Gillian Flynn’s work; a profoundly thought-provoking thriller that gets under your skin from the first few chapters.
Parts of the book do become a little far-fetched, but because of the great writing, I’m willing to let those moments slide.
The ending is undoubtedly both impactful and out of the dark, so you can decide how to see that. For me, it’s a positive providing the evidence is there all along, which it is.
Conclusion
Overall, I’d recommend this book to anyone looking to get acquainted with Flynn’s work or is looking for a gripping psychological thriller to read next.
I can’t wait to read both Dark Places and Gone Girl.
Have you read Sharp Objects? Or any of Gillian Flynn’s other books? Seen the HBO series with Amy Adams? Join the discussion and leave your comment below.
3 comments
You’ve mixed up the mothers name and sisters name in the paragraph “strained relationships ”
Great review, thanks
Thank you for pointing that out, I’ve corrected it. As a relatively new blogger (nearly a year now) it’s these words of encouragement that I truly treasure, so thank you for your kind words.