Gone Girl

A Novel

By: Gillian Flynn

Narrated by: Julia Whelan, Kirby Heyborne

Length: 19 hrs and 57 mins

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 Times • People • Entertainment Weekly • O: The Oprah Magazine • Slate • Kansas City Star • USA Today • Christian 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 Chronicle • St. Louis Post-Dispatch • The Chicago Tribune • HuffPost • Newsday

©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

A crazy, messed up ride, in a good way

For me, Gone Girl started out slow. I found my mind drifting and would realize that I hadn't been paying attention for awhile. I thought the writing was almost overdone, or like it was trying too hard, that it was being too witty, and then little by little, the book drew in my interest. I no longer found the writing overdone. It felt engaging and full of texture. I sat at the edge of my seat, chewing on my nails, thinking I knew the characters and then realizing that I didn't. It happened again and again. I'd find excuses to listen when I normally wouldn't because I had to figure them out. The book drove me to know what was truly going on, and whenever I felt like I had a firm footing, it tore the carpet from underneath me. I look for books I can't put down, and this was one of them.

I loved the narrators, and I am insanely picky on narrators. They both did a superb job and left nothing lacking. They portrayed these horrible, ruined, two-faced people quite beautifully.

I noticed some complaints that people had. One was that the characters were so horrible. I found that strangely thrilling, to see how depraved they could be. When I thought they couldn't get worse, they did, and it pulled me more into the story. I was able to suspend my disbelief and happily delve into their demented lives.

A second complaint was the ending. I won't try to ruin anything, but the ending was a sweet awfulness, the kind of ending that makes you want to tear your hair out, and I liked that. Sometimes you need a book to kick you in the kidney and leave you a frustrated mess because it means that, for awhile, you lived in that world and that you cared enough to be angry at it turning out a way that you didn't want.

Overall, I loved it and now face the daunting task of trying to spend my credits on something just as good.

Was hoping for a different ending

I won't give it away, and I enjoyed the story and the back and forth. Very well read and written.

Great story

Great story that is full of surprises. Never a dull moment. Great readers
That is all I have to say

Keeps ya guessing!

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

Yes! If I were "reading" it, I probably would have given up after the first few chapters. But having these phenomenal narrators allowed me to continue "listening." And good thing I did. I liked him, then I hated him. I liked her, felt sorry for her, then hated her. Fantastic play on your emotions.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Unfortunately, it was her. I kept finding myself wanting to hear what she was thinking, what she was doing, how she was going to find her way out of sticky situations.

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

They did a fabulous job narrating! And I was able to distinguish between each character, due to their fabulous inflections.

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

The moment she came back. His expression and the whispering in her ear. He wanted her to know he knew. Awesome!

Any additional comments?

It does start off kind of slow; but stay with it. It gets better and better. The ending did leave me wanting more.

grabbed me from the beginning!

Where does Gone Girl rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

I'm an adved Stephen King reader. This book is the best book I've ever listened too other than his. He mentioned this book in his "Guns" narrative and he was right it's great.

What did you like best about this story?

I liked how the author captured both charcters thoughts. The twists and turns just kept me on the edge of my seat.

Which scene was your favorite?

There are so many its hard to choose.

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

This book didn't make me cry but it literally shockef me many times through out. Nick was just so oblivious to what had been going on around him.

Any additional comments?

I loved every minute of this book. I would love to hear what happens next.

Great Story!

Gillian Flynn is one of my favorite authors! I enjoyed this been immensely. I have not seen the movie so the book was my first experience and it was hard to stop listening! Highly recommend!

I love the story and the performance is outstanding.

I love the story and the performance is outstanding. It’s a well written story and the characters are captivating. I went from kind of liking Amy and not really liking to Nick to hating them both and then rooting for Nick. There were moments in the story where my jaw hit the floor. It leaves you wondering if people out there are truly this messed up in the head.
The ending has left me so dissatisfied. I really wish there would be a sequel. I need the story to end more redemptive.
I suggest you listen to this book!

Great!

With exception to the ending, I loved it!! Gripped me all the way through, but then sort of left me hanging at the end. Almost like there’s a sequel coming. Which I would read - but still, the ending was just kind of flat.

very unique

I really enjoyed this book until I got to the end. I am not sure what I was hoping would happen but I guess I felt like it was somehow incomplete, I really hope for a next book satisfaction.

Loved everyone about the book and the performance

It was an amazing listen. Definitely would recommend! It’s a great book and the performance made it unbelievably good!