book review: Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn

The backstory: Like so many of you, I read and adored Gillian Flynn's most recent novel, Gone Girl, in 2012. I finally got around to reading her first novel, Sharp Objects.

The basics: Camille, a wounded young woman who recently spent time in a psychiatric hospital, must return to the small Missouri town where she grew up to cover the murders of two pre-teen girls for the second-rate Chicago paper she works. Forced to stay with her mother, stepfather and half-sister, Camille must also confront the childhood death of her sister.

My thoughts: As many of you as know, I majored in journalism in college (and women's studies and art history--I've always been a multi-disciplinarian at heart!), and I adore stories of journalists. Camille is a fascinatingly flawed character. I loved to glimpse inside the combination of her hardness and softness. She was simultaneously a character to whom I could relate and understand and one who baffled me, yet Flynn merged both seamlessly. Sharp Objects may not be a page-turner in the classic sense, but its combination of character development, compelling backstories, and current plot made the book hard to put down.

Favorite passage:  "You’re crazy to think what you’re thinking. You’re crazy to not think it."

The verdict: Sharp Objects is delightfully creepy but also richly realized. Flynn's characters are a delight to read about, and I was as enchanted by the characters as the mysteries themselves. Ultimately, I liked Sharp Objects even more than Gone Girl.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5
Length: 272 pages
Publication date: September 26, 2006
Source: purchased (at Parnassus Books!)

Convinced? Treat yourself! Buy Sharp Objects from an independent bookstore or Amazon (Kindle edition.)

Want more? Visit Gillian Flynn's website and like her on Facebook.

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