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)

outstanding

Great story, great writing, very good HBO movie! I hope she writes more, soon. loved it.

Unexpected Twist

Heredity vs Humanity is it who raised you or how you were raised or is it the Gene Pool you were born into?

Loved it

Amazing book. Couldn’t stop listening!!! When you think you know and then you don’t... and then you do again. I love it all. Great read.

Gritty

This hook is gritty and dingy. It is definitely nsfw, but it is a good read, with a lot of dark and sharp attitudes.

Gripping yet unsettling

The story pulled me in from the first minute. I loved the gothic elements of the story (Amma’s miniature dollhouse) and the overall small town atmosphere. As the story progressed, I found it more and more unsettling. I’ve read books that had more graphic violence descriptions than this one, but the sheer banality of evil here left me distressed. The family disfunction exceeds Gone Girl and unlike the Gone Girl, there is a central character whom I deeply sympathized with, the smart, kind and broken narrator of the story. I am very curious to see how Amy Adams portrayed her in the TV adaptation of the novel but I need something light and frothy in my life first.

Not for the easily offended

Naturally, I read some reviews before downloading. I had already seems the show on HBOmax but I had hoped that the book would clear up a few things, and it did. I must say some of the reviewers call it “disgusting”, “overly violent “ & gave a bad review- but what did you expect after reading the plot summary? A story of a serial killer targeting children isn’t going to be rainbows & butterflies. So, a bad review based on that seems unfair & feels like the “reader’s” fault. That being said, It is a very violent, graphic book & delves deep into psychopathy. It may also, hopefully give some awareness about a dangerous coping mechanism among teenagers today. (I won’t spoil it). The only thing I didn’t really care for was the performer. She has a high voice & tries to pull of a man’s voice for the male characters, which is unsuccessful. Other than that, it’s a disturbing, psychological thriller & I recommend it to anyone who can handle it.

Fantastic!

Absolutely loved this book! Mini series stayed extremely close to it as well! Had to listen to it twice so far!

Dive in if you enjoyed the show!!

I watched the series first and let me say, this really brings it all together and gives you the details you wanted in every way!! The ending really closes it all up to a desirable point!!

Unnecessarily Explicit

This writer is talented, enabling vivid picturing of her words. Characters are developed so well they seem real. And the way the story weaved itself with just the right momentum was phenomenal. But there was unnecessarily explicit description of tough subjects--like the pigs. Why would any person want to hear that, unless they're an activist? I didn't know that, and now it's with me forever. I cried for the pigs and hope this was exaggerated. Glad I don't eat pork. And sex scenes did not have to be described in such detail. Cringe. And there were some really bad words. Not everyone thinks this is cool, you know... It would have been even better without all that stuff. NOT NECESSARY.
But the narrator was wonderful! Her voice was both relaxing and pretty yet still able to deliver the story's difficult subjects and details.
The story shows what this mental disorder can do to harm a family--so it was informative in that sense. But this was probably an exaggeration. And wish the descriptions of sensitive matters were more toned down.
So I'm not criticizing this author's talent, just the choices she made.

Twists at every turn

An intense look inside the lives of those living with mental illness as well as the mystery of murder.