Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Sharp Objects tells the story of Camille, a journalist living in Chicago, who is asked to return to the small town where she is from to cover an unfolding story about 2 murdered girls. This also gives Camille the opportunity to reconnect with her family, an opportunity she didn't necessarily wish for. It seems that Camille and her mother have many unresolved issues revolving around her childhood & the death of her sister when Camille was just 13. Camille also has a younger sister that she barely knows having been away for so long. To call this family dysfunctional is an understatement. The mother is so vile and distasteful in the sick way she gives and withholds love as a means to control. The 13 year old little sister is maniacally manipulative & known to be the vicious head of the "mean girl" clique at school. Camille herself is understandably damaged and tries to cope by carving words into her skin to deal with her pain.
I love that this author unflinchingly takes the reader to very dark places in this book. The characters are seldom likable but are so authentic in their broken lives. Sharp Objects explores the real consequences of extreme unhealthy mother-child relationships. The damage that a mentally disturbed parent can cause is far reaching and can last far beyond childhood. This story also shows how easily such sickness can be overlooked by everyone, people refusing to see what is right in front of them. This is definitely not a book that will leave a reader with a happy, hopeful feeling. It is dark and disturbing and can leave the reader feeling a bit unclean. But Sharp objects is also undeniably a fascinating story, expertly written, with authentic characters that, while not always likable, will draw a reader in making them want to understand their motivations.
I absolutely recommend this to anyone who, like me, enjoys stories that are a bit more dark and with unexpected villains. This is the second of Gillian Flynn's books I've read and I am officially a fan. I can't wait to read more from this author.
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4 comments:
I just finished it and loved it!! I highly recommend it also. I thought the topics were deep but the language she used was just wonderful. I found myself tearing up in one part because the language she used to describe the scene just got to me. Terrific book!
I read Gone Girl and was bored at the beginning but then... my my. I've been planning to read more of her work. I might start with this one.
@Sandy S.
I thought it was wonderfully expressive too Sandy. I don't think I teared up, but I was definitely fascinated by the relationships between the characters.
@Lectus Read
I actually DNFed Gone Girl because the characters were so annoying at the beginning. After reading Sharp Objects and Dark Places by this author, I ended up buying the Gone Girl audio and plan to try it again. I definitely recommend Flynn if you like darker thrillers.
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