Sharp Objects, Gillian Flynn

BLURB---When two girls are abducted and killed in Missouri, journalist Camille Preaker is sent back to her home town to report on the crimes.

Long-haunted by a childhood tragedy and estranged from her mother for years, Camille suddenly finds herself installed once again in her family's mansion, reacquainting herself with her distant mother and the half-sister she barely knows - a precocious 13-year-old who holds a disquieting grip on the town.

As Camille works to uncover the truth about these violent crimes, she finds herself identifying with the young victims - a bit too strongly. Clues keep leading to dead ends, forcing Camille to unravel the psychological puzzle of her own past to get at the story. Dogged by her own demons, Camille will have to confront what happened to her years before if she wants to survive this homecoming.

Bleak, dark and depressing. First thing that needs to be said is you have probably never come across a female character like Camille. Camille is very cold and detached which makes is hard to connect with her and in turn the book. Although if this is embraced and understood and you try to empathize with Camille this is a very enjoyable read. I liked watching the car crash that is her mental stability.....as cruel as that sounds it was very interesting to watch her slip down the slippery slope and lose it a bit. Although it didn't need a plot twist dammit! The characters made it interesting enough. I like my books with meaty characters...a weird form of fictional people watching I don't like cheap little twists to entertain me. Doesn't work. In fact it irritates the shit outta me. 

Camille made this book for me more than the story. I don't think I will forget her to be honest. She's......weird but everything about her is understandable and you can connect the dots between her childhood and how she is now. I found when reading what Camille was doing I was constantly think "Oh Camille, don't do that/don't say that/don't take that" the poor woman was just making bad decisions all over the place.


The ending was done good to I prayed that it wasn't wrapped up too neatly and it wasn't. Another irritation I have! When a gritty book ends all nice and neat with a little bow.... doesn't reeallly happen in real life now does it?

I have yet to read Dark Places by Gillian Flynn even though I own it, as I just need a break from the bleak that is ever-present in her books but I will read it and I look forward to more books from her.