Gone Girl

Gone Girl is one of the best books I have read this year. Furthermore, it's going to be really hard to provide any kind of review without giving away lots of spoilers.

On Nick and Amy Dunne's fifth wedding anniversary Amy is missing. To outside appearances Nick is the perfect husband and Amy is the perfect wife. Nick's behaviour doesn't seem characteristic for someone whose wife is missing and he quickly begins to receive attention from the police...

The novel is paced very well and is really hard to put down. The structure is clever switching chapters between Nick and Amy and also uses devices such as diary entries to give the reader the backstory of their marriage. There are twists in the plot but at no point did I feel they were hammered into the story, yes they have impact but I didn't feel 'tricked' by the plot twists. I hate feeling like I've been manipulated by a novel but Gone Girl does manipulate the reader - it's dark and twisted but it's a great ride to go along with. I found myself liking certain characters, then hating them, then feeling sympathy throughout.

It is a straight psychological thriller / crime novel and doesn't contain anything that would be considered speculative so it might not be a fit for everyone on WWEnd but I give this a huge thumbs up in any case.