Sharp Objects

By: Gillian Flynn

Narrated by: Ann Marie Lee

Publisher's summary

NOW AN HBO® LIMITED SERIES STARRING AMY ADAMS, NOMINATED FOR EIGHT EMMY AWARDS, INCLUDING OUTSTANDING LIMITED SERIES FROM THE NUMBER ONE NEW YORK TIMES BEST-SELLING AUTHOR OF GONE GIRL

Fresh from a brief stay at a psych hospital, reporter Camille Preaker faces a troubling assignment: She must return to her tiny hometown to cover the murders of two preteen girls. For years, Camille has hardly spoken to her neurotic, hypochondriac mother or to the half-sister she barely knows: a beautiful 13-year-old with an eerie grip on the town. Now, installed in her old bedroom in her family's Victorian mansion, Camille finds herself identifying with the young victims - a bit too strongly. Dogged by her own demons, she must unravel the psychological puzzle of her own past if she wants to get the story - and survive this homecoming.

Praise for Sharp Objects:

“Nasty, addictive reading.” (Chicago Tribune)

“Skillful and disturbing.” (Washington Post)

“Darkly original...[a] riveting tale.” (People)

©2006 Gillian Flynn (P)2006 Random House, Inc. Random House Audio, a division of Random House, Inc.

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Critic reviews

• Mystery Writers of America 2007 Edgar Nominee, Best First Novel by an American Author

"A witty, stylish, and compelling debut. A real winner." (Harlan Coben)

"Flynn delivers a great whodunit.... Piercingly effective and genuinely terrifying." (Kirkus Reviews)

"To say this is a terrific debut novel is really too mild. I haven't read such a relentlessly creepy family saga since John Farris' All Heads Turn as the Hunt Goes By, and that was 30 years ago, give or take. Sharp Objects isn't one of those scare-and-retreat books; its effect is cumulative. I found myself dreading the last 30 pages or so but was helpless to stop turning them. Then, after the lights were out, the story just stayed there in my head, coiled and hissing, like a snake in a cave. An admirably nasty piece of work, elevated by sharp writing and sharper insights." (Stephen King)

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3 out of 5 stars

By Pamela Harvey on 06-14-12

Goes into the Abyss and Doesn't Come Out

It's hard to imagine a more depressing combination of factors: the neglected town of Wind Gap, its characters, architecture and ambience stalled in the 1950's, the completely unsupervised and unmanaged pre-teen cliques which get into all kinds of trouble that would be prosecuted in some form if it all happened in a more enlightened environment, and the main character and her desultory loveless family, which leaves the "apple" (Camille) not far from the "tree". Camille's hostile family life, an emotional desert, has left her ill-equipped to navigate the big bad world of the 2010's.

However, Camille is a plucky, resourceful "survivor" and uses her insights into her abusive upbringing to bring down the house of cards. Whatever her attitudes and emotional stance, she is certainly not a victim.

I read this after finishing "Gone Girl" which was an impressive, imaginative novel, more 2012-style."Sharp Objects" is more disturbing in many ways, yet not as sophisticated as "Gone Girl", and not as clever.There are some familiar Flynn themes - provincial life and its limitations, a shower phobia, obsessions with perfection and routine ritual.

After saying all this, I did on balance like the book, and foresaw the conclusion, but not before some diversionary and entertaining reading, especially the dialogue scenes and particularly the nuanced moment-by-moment interactions, where Flynn shines.

But next time you think you'd like to move or retire to a small town - think again.

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5 out of 5 stars

By Amazon Customer on 03-21-07

Compelling and Dark

I enjoyed this book - it is a real page-turner (there surely is a way to convey this concept for an audiobook). The main character is has major mental health issues and used poor judgment from time to time. But I still liked her. Often authors have trouble ending books like this - not so here. It is a satisfying ending.

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4 out of 5 stars

By Tova on 08-10-15

good, not great.

I didn't care for the narrator all her voice sounded the same. The story was good but felt rushed at the end. I still enjoyed it but it was my least favorite book out of the series.

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5 out of 5 stars

By penkypoo on 01-04-16

Gillian Flynn has a real nack for the damaged girl

This book was highly disturbing, I do not want to give anything away so I will not elaborate. All I can say is every person in this book was not stable or healthy. I was a little bit disappointed after having read Gone Girl first, I could really feel how Gillian Flynn's writing and story telling developed over time, that being said this book was definitely still worth the read.

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5 out of 5 stars

By Darlene on 01-06-13

Gillian Flynn's writing is AMAZING!!!

What did you love best about Sharp Objects?

The characters are so dark and interesting in this book.

What did you like best about this story?

I was second guessing myself on theories of who killed the family thru the whole story.

Which character – as performed by Ann Marie Lee – was your favorite?

Wonderful performace of all the characters but especially the main character.

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

I didn't want to stop listening. If fact I have already listen to the twice since. Gillian Flynn has a twisted mind as a writer. I've enjoyed all three of the books that I have purchased her and cannot wait for more to be available!

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5 out of 5 stars

By Jessica Naumann on 02-10-16

twisted

although a little slow to start for me, this book reeled me in. I read the last 3 or 4 chapters in record time. if you liked gone girl, you'll like this too. perfectly walks the like of mysterious but not gruesome.

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5 out of 5 stars

By Cylyn on 09-07-18

Horrifying and Brilliant

None of the characters are likeable, but they are compelling and I wanted to really understand them. Gillian hooks you and really gets you involved. Narrator is wonderful.

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5 out of 5 stars

By JoAnn on 03-06-15

Very Dark Book

I found this book very thrilling to read, but just a warning that it is very dark.

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4 out of 5 stars

By ans on 01-02-16

So twisted.

Intriguing book, great narration, if you liked "gone girl", and don't get too queasy with in-depth descriptions of pain (of all sorts), then this book is worth your time to listen to.

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4 out of 5 stars

By RD on 12-07-12

A Most Insidiously Dark Tale...

If you are looking for the "Feel Good Book Of The Year", this is not it! A most insidiously dark tale of an extremely dysfunctional family. I understand this is Gillian Flynn's first novel and it shows... not in her writing style, which is excellent, but in the storyline balance.

I liked the story, overall, however It stays dark and miserable throughout. Not a moment of lightness or joy. I was left feeling a bit empty. Maybe that was the author's intention... hmmm... However, I think she could have thrown in a bit of a happy moment, just to even out the ride.
Like when you see a photo of a fire ravaged forest, blackened and bleak, but then notice one small, green blade of grass or a single yellow flower popping up through the soot covered dirt. Just a little happy moment...

That said, it was well written, with depth to the characters and storyline, until the ending, where she seemed to rush, just to wrap things up. It felt as though this was an abridged version toward the end. Maybe it was done in the editing dept and not the author's choice.

I would read "Gone Girl", which was superb, highly recommended, and a more polished representation of this fine author's true talents.

The narrator did a fabulous job and I have enjoyed her work reading Lisa Gardner novels, as well.

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