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Gone Girl  By  cover art

Gone Girl

By: Gillian Flynn
Narrated by: Julia Whelan, Kirby Heyborne
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Editorial review


By Mysia Haight, Audible Editor

PSYCH OUT—THE JAW-DROPPING GENIUS OF GONE GIRL

Gillian Flynn’s Gone Girl is among the all-time best crafted stories told by unreliable narrators—two of them, the perfect couple—and a gripping thriller filled with jaw-dropping twists. This dark mystery novel also shines a critical light on the media-fueled public rush to judge people suspected of crimes who, regardless of the evidence, simply look guilty—an unsettling trend that has only escalated in the decade since the book’s release. Along with its critique of media exploitation, the novel has been widely embraced—and hotly debated—as a manifesto of modern feminism.

Ten years ago, I was approaching that dreaded life stage—middle age. After years of doing my best to be a good wife, mother, aunt, sister, daughter, and friend; a good worker, mentor, and role model; and a good listener, problem solver, and crisis manager, I was feeling taken for granted and restless. What if I did something unexpected, something out of character—something bad?

Happily, I satisfied my yearnings by becoming immersed in the brilliant mind and devious machinations of Amy Elliott Dunne, the hero (or, depending on your perspective, villain) of Gone Girl. When it was published in 2012, Gillian Flynn’s ingenious novel about a missing wife and the husband increasingly implicated in her ominous disappearance stirred up a lot of buzz. As an avid fan of psychological thrillers, unreliable narrators, and contemporary fiction driven by strong, complicated women, I couldn’t wait to read it. And I was blown away! In spite of her questionable (to put it extremely mildly) actions, I found Amy, an amazing woman who was taken for granted—first by her parents and then by her husband—relatable and, yes, sympathetic. I kept rooting for her to get the life she wanted, even when I was appalled by what she did and who she hurt to make that happen.

Has Gone Girl changed my life? Well, it didn’t motivate me to change for the badder—old good habits die hard. Yet, thanks in part to Amy and other remarkable women characters like her, I’ve gradually become better at speaking up for myself and getting heard.

Years after first reading Gone Girl, I haven't forgotten Amy. I love the way Rosamund Pike brought her to life in the 2014 film adaptation, which I've watched in its entirety three times with three different women—my sister, my niece, and my daughter. So when I discovered that one of my favorite narrators, the remarkable Julia Whelan, voices Amy in the audiobook, I just had to go back and listen. Her performance is brilliant—so believable, it's chilling—and even though I know every twist in her twisted story, Amy continues to amaze me!

Continue reading Mysia's review >

Publisher's summary

#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • The “mercilessly entertaining” (Vanity Fair) instant classic “about the nature of identity and the terrible secrets that can survive and thrive in even the most intimate relationships” (Lev Grossman, Time)—now featuring never-before-published deleted scenes

NAMED ONE OF THE MOST INFLUENTIAL BOOKS OF THE DECADE BY CNN AND ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE DECADE BY TIME AND ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY

NAMED ONE OF THE TEN BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY Janet Maslin, The New York TimesPeopleEntertainment WeeklyO: The Oprah MagazineSlateKansas City StarUSA TodayChristian Science Monitor

On a warm summer morning in North Carthage, Missouri, it is Nick and Amy Dunne’s fifth wedding anniversary. Presents are being wrapped and reservations are being made when Nick’s clever and beautiful wife disappears. Husband-of-the-Year Nick isn’t doing himself any favors with cringe-worthy daydreams about the slope and shape of his wife’s head, but passages from Amy's diary reveal the alpha-girl perfectionist could have put anyone dangerously on edge. Under mounting pressure from the police and the media—as well as Amy’s fiercely doting parents—the town golden boy parades an endless series of lies, deceits, and inappropriate behavior. Nick is oddly evasive, and he’s definitely bitter—but is he really a killer?

NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY San Francisco ChronicleSt. Louis Post-DispatchThe Chicago TribuneHuffPostNewsday

©2012 Gillian Flynn (P)2012 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

“Absorbing . . . In masterly fashion, Flynn depicts the unraveling of a marriage—and of a recession-hit Midwest—by interweaving the wife’s diary entries with the husband’s first-person account.”The New Yorker

“Ms. Flynn writes dark suspense novels that anatomize violence without splashing barrels of blood around the pages . . . Ms. Flynn has much more up her sleeve than a simple missing-person case. As Nick and Amy alternately tell their stories, marriage has never looked so menacing, narrators so unreliable.”The Wall Street Journal

“The story unfolds in precise and riveting prose . . . even while you know you’re being manipulated, searching for the missing pieces is half the thrill of this wickedly absorbing tale.”O: The Oprah Magazine

Featured Article: We’re Booked—The Best Literature Podcasts for Every Bibliophile


Love everything books and literature? Of course, you do—that’s why you're here! Don’t worry, you’re in good company. If you're a book aficionado who loves chatting about literature with like-minded people, literature podcasts are the perfect addition to your listening lifestyle. There’s no shortage of great book podcast options to choose from. Here are just a few of the best literature podcasts, covering many different genres and styles of podcasting.

Editor's Pick: Best of the Decade

Get to the gone
"I’m a sucker for great story structure, and Gone Girl uses every inch of its narrative to subvert expectations in ways that shock and amuse. The perfectly utilized diary entries fold into a legendary mid-book reveal. The face-turn-heel of a seemingly perfect victim who revels in the way they’ve expertly managed your expectations. The unreliable narrators who reveal so much about themselves by what they don’t say—or how they shape emotional states into origami. And it all feels fair; while most twist-filled stories tend to seem rather flimsy under a microscope, the closer you look at Gillian Flynn’s masterpiece, the more you notice the sheer togetherness of it all, each part working in concert with another, coalescing to form a story that has one finger firmly on the pulse of popular culture, and one on the carotid of a serial killer."—Sean T., Audible Editor

What listeners say about Gone Girl

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    34,612
  • 4 Stars
    15,988
  • 3 Stars
    5,268
  • 2 Stars
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  • 1 Stars
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  • 3 Stars
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Story
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
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    30,679
  • 4 Stars
    13,370
  • 3 Stars
    4,957
  • 2 Stars
    1,874
  • 1 Stars
    1,580

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

great editor! great heartpumping erotica.

you will appreciate writing as a form of mental genius.Everything came together perfectly for this aspiring team. must read!!

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

Good book. Didn't like the ending.

Very well written. Great story. A lot of twists and turns. Things you would not expect. Well researched.I do not like the ending.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

Great story, truly dislike the ending.

The writing is great and builds up the suspense. When you think you know what's going on, believe me you don't. The narrators were great as well.
Will recommend but with a warning.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

noir story and a great listen

If you could sum up Gone Girl in three words, what would they be?

It is a dark story that at first seems to have a pretty ordinary plot, everything changes with the second half. Pay attention to every detail and the book gets better and better with each chapter, although there is no good "justice has prevailed" feeling in the end.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

GIVEN A BAD REP!

I hate to see this book ripped apart in its reviews. First of all, the narrators do a great job. Julia Whelan is such an awesome story teller! Secondly, it's on the NY Times bestselling list for a reason. A book is suppose to make you feel for the characters and this book is no exception. If you find yourself only enjoying the first 3/4 of the book than you're too into the "Hollywood ending." Lastly, this book is witty, creative, and cleverly written. Not your typical Hollywood ending, but is that so bad? I think it's definitely worth a listen!

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars
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    2 out of 5 stars

What's all the hype?

Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?

A waste of time. The book is well written and has a few twists but there are no redeeming characters in the whole story. I feel there is good in most people, these people all suck!

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Really good.

What made the experience of listening to Gone Girl the most enjoyable?

I liked the dual performance, and the story keeps you coming back for more with all of the twists and turns. It's hard to turn off!

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes!

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars

Good

Good
Yeah it's like good and stuff and I don't know what you doing today and projects that are not allowed to the gym now I have no clue where to go out tonight or the one I can see if

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Complex characters and story - quite a ride!

What did you love best about Gone Girl?

Kept me guessing

What about Julia Whelan and Kirby Heyborne ’s performance did you like?

Just the right tone and nuance

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Not really, I needed a break to digest all the interesting details.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Your will want to keep listening & listening.....

Full of surprises....Thoroughly entertaining! Very well written! Has all the elements of good book. You wont be disappointed!

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