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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: Audible Essentials—The Top 100 Screen Adaptations of All Time


As the category of great page-to-screen storytelling continues to grow, we scoured our libraries, grilled audiophiles and cinephiles, and vetted the entire Audible catalog for the 100 greatest screen adaptations for watchers and listeners alike. These are the stories that inspired some of the greatest on-screen stories of all time, from Academy Award winners and cult classics to must-see TV. They're well worth the price of admission.

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

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Good Story

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

Interesting, riveting, good

What was one of the most memorable moments of Gone Girl?

When the clue led to the shed full of purchases and how they all tied together.

Which character – as performed by Julia Whelan and Kirby Heyborne – was your favorite?

The woman

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

No

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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Amazing

A real thriller, with an engaging story and powerful twist. Movie fans will have something to look forward to in this rendition too, as the book offers a deeper look into what they have seen.

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

HOLY FREAKING PLOT TWIST, BATMAN

Would you listen to Gone Girl again? Why?

I have listened to it three times at this point. I couldn't believe what a fantastic story this was. Every time I listen, I pick up on more of the foreshadowing and it just cracks me up! Beautiful!

What did you like best about this story?

The narrators did an excellent job making you believe these characters were real. I felt connected to both of them. The story...... holy cow. I don't think I shut up about what a phenomenal book this was for like a month.

Which scene was your favorite?

THE SCENE. There's a scene. And it is incredible.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

Well.... I threw my kindle across my office. So yes. A bit of an extreme reaction.

Any additional comments?

If you are one of the strange people like me who are just now stumbling across this masterpiece, do yourself a HUGE favor and purchase this IMMEDIATELY.

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

Intense

Loved the story and the storytelling. An interesting interpretation of what goes on between a sociopath and their knowing prey.

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    4 out of 5 stars
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Wierd but GOOD!

Did the plot keep you on the edge of your seat? How?

Yes! The drama was intense and the plot twists were well executed. I thought I could see what was coming a couple of times and I'm happy to say that I was wrong. This was a good yarn...well wrought!

Have you listened to any of Julia Whelan and Kirby Heyborne ’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

No....but the voices were superb. Especially Julia Whelan...her Amy was "amazing" on every level. At first you loved Amy....so sweet. Then you hated her. And on some crazy level...you admired her. Whelan got it just right.

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Page turner

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

Decent plot with sustained tension.

Have you listened to any of Julia Whelan and Kirby Heyborne ’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

Really enjoyed their point-counterpoint performances.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

The husband did it...didn't he?

Any additional comments?

Found the ending disappointing in its improbability. Admittedly tough to wrap up a story like this one.

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Awesome!

Some of the voices were over exaggerated but it made for some dramatic listening. I completed it six days, very gripping.

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Excellent!

Could not put it down! The story is great! The narrators do a great job!

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intriguing

What did you love best about Gone Girl?

Alternance between stories. The way it goes and describes same time, different arguments, same prolems, different appreciation.

What did you like best about this story?

mystery, and actual way of life

Which character – as performed by Julia Whelan and Kirby Heyborne – was your favorite?

Amy

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

more or less

Any additional comments?

nope

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Intriguing

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

I would recommend it.

Who was your favorite character and why?

I liked the husband, the wife was scary to me. She seemed to evil.

Have you listened to any of Julia Whelan and Kirby Heyborne ’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

Have not yet.

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