Sharp Objects

A Novel

By: Gillian Flynn

Narrated by: Ann Marie Lee

Length: 9 hrs and 34 mins

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.

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)

Not Flynn's best

After listening to Gone Girl and Dark Places and really enjoying them, I decided to give thus one a try. This was my least favorite of the three but stull had some good twists. It is worth the listen if you enjoyed Flynn's other books.

Fantastic, Dark, Family Drama/Mystery

I was expecting a typical thriller/murder mystery from this book's description; something to pass the time but not something to enjoy. What I got was something entirely different and shockingly enjoyable.

I would describe the genre of the book as part Stephen King, part Tennessee Williams, part Agatha Christie, with a very modern feel. The book doesn't really fit into any one drama, but is unquestionably dark and at times disturbing. The protagonist, Camille, was intriguing and likable at every turn. The narrator does a fantastic job of bringing her to life. She also injects plenty of life into the few sympathetic minor characters and the vast supporting cast of terrifying and repulsive southern W.A.S.P.s

Strengths: Interesting, realistic, flawed characters (though often garish and exaggerated). The atmosphere of the book really allows you to picture everything. It makes you feel like you're from a small Missouri town, even if you've never been to middle America or the deep South.

Weaknesses:I was able to guess the ending about halfway through the book. However, this wasn't entirely a weakness. It was fun to guess. I was never 100% positive about my pick, and the plot kept me excited and attentive right up to the end.

I was sad when this book ended. Picking up another Gillian Flynn novel will be bittersweet, because I got so attached to Camille during this book that I feel a strange loyalty to her.

Almost gave up

Shocking twist at the end. However, the story moves really slow. I almost threw in the towel around chapter 5.

Another great one from Ms Flynn

Great book from beginning to end. Excellent narration! I hope to see a True Detective type episodic series based on this novel.

The best of Gyllian Flynn

If you could sum up Sharp Objects in three words, what would they be?

How Mother Haunts

What other book might you compare Sharp Objects to and why?

The Prince of Tides- the havoc a parent (mother) can reek upon her children when she uses them as pawns in her own completely hidden world of patching their torn inner self for the outer world

Have you listened to any of Ann Marie Lee’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

no

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

When the mother barges in on Camile in the bath, and comments "Darlin are you cold? Your nipples are hard". Simple, off-putting, and just hinting at her twisted nature- especially in juxtaposition to Camile, helpless and alone, vulnerable, seeking solace in the tepid water of a bath tub.

Any additional comments?

SPOILER: BEST TWIST EVER- especially using the dollhouse and the daughter's need to imitate her mother's home without realizing she was doing so in the same twisted way her mother went about life- not to mention the Ivory Floor- made in a time and then banned for the cruel way pieces were taken from glorious animals for purely asthetic greed- to truly remake that ivory floor in a dollhouse, Amma's horrific actions mirrored perfectly the steps of pain and lusty greed all for a rare material. And yet they all mock Camile's damage to her body- for her family sees hurting oneself as the opposite of "victory" over their little world- both mother and youngest daughter took heedlessly from others for decoration, while Camile only took from herself in the form of "decoration through the destruction of a body".

Great read

I wish I would have read the book than listened. The voice used was a bit annoying to get through.

Story is great though!

suspenseful and chilling

The story sucks you in - dark and suspenseful. The characters are well developed and the story has unforseen twists.

Good book

I really enjoyed this book. The narration was great and it had me entertained the whole way through. The only reason I'm not giving it 5 stars is I did predict the ending. I didn't figure out the EXACT way it played out but I knew what turned out to be the main outline of what happened maybe halfway through.

Not what I expected

I really like crime/murder stories. Even though this book touched on that I didn't feel that it was what the book was about. It focused more on Camille and her struggles. It was a great book.

Predictable plot, but good story telling

I accuratrly predicted the murderers by chapter 2, but while it lacked suspense, the writing was done so well that I happily continued on.