Sharp Objects
Ratings645
Average rating3.8
It's taken me a while to write a review for this book. It's sat with me for so long and I'm still unsure of what I really feel. Honestly when I picked up this book I didn't imagine it was going to be a horror story, but it is. There is no happy ending, no monsters or make believe, just real life horror.
I was shocked with the ending, not the whodunnit aspect which I figured out quickly, but more the recovery of Camille. I expected her to reel into darkness after discovering the truth but I wanted her to come back from it. Sadly, as very well put by Flynn when woman are ill they are consumed by it.
Camille Preaker is a character I very quickly fell in love with, I wanted to see her torment end and let her have her answers in peace. Instead Camille was so desperate to find out the truth it almost killed her and the worst part is, if that was the truths I had to live with then I wouldn't want to live with them either.
This book is very well written in terms of dialogue and character, as well as atmosphere, but I saw the ending coming 1/5 of the way through.
The novel is about a young journalist, Camille Preaker, who returns to her hometown of Wind Gap, Missouri to investigate the murders of two young girls. Camille's estranged mother, Adora, and half-sister, Amma, live in Wind Gap. Camille is also trying to come to terms with her own dark past. Sharp Objects is a well-written, gripping thriller. It is a page-turner that will keep you guessing until the very end.
Contains spoilers
It wasn’t really love at first sight when I started it. Something about the writing felt off to me, especially in dialogues. Many sounded unrealistic to me, and everything was a bit over the top. Camille initially seemed like a copy of characters I’ve seen over and over. Her involvement with the cop was the most telegraphed thing I’ve ever seen, and it happened when, on their second meeting? Third at best.
But then, at some point, I was hooked. I didn’t really care for the mystery itself, which I would argue is not even the main focus of this story, despite looking like it is. The real focus of the story is the unpleasant reality of a small town and its inhabitants. The complex psychology of those extremely messed up characters.
I rarely make faces at a book while I’m reading, but I did. It made me cringe and grimace in horror and disgust. I started at some point when Adora said something incredibly fucked up (must have been “Why Marian and not her?” or “One day I’ll carve my name there”) and I only did it more as I kept reading. I started caring about Camille at one point. Something about how the dysfunctional family dynamics (if one could call them just that) have affected her deeply, made me feel for her. I felt anger when characters (well, Adora, mostly) said hurtful things to her.
Though I think what finally made me swear out loud was, of all things, Alan paying Adora’s bail to let the poor thing await trial from the comfort of her shiny marbles. What even is the point of that man who reads about horses. Anyway.
The solution to the murders wasn’t surprising to me. Adora becomes a suspect in the reader’s mind pretty much right away, so it couldn’t have been her. And there’s only another person who’s as fucked up as she is, Amma. Though I have to say, my brain breaks at the idea of a thirteen year old girl committing such violent acts. I was expecting it to be her, but still that’s very disturbing. I have to say though, at one point I realized I was reading a Gillian Flynn novel (lol) and feared Camille would end up being the murderer. Happy it wasn’t the case.
One thing’s for sure, Gillian Flynn can write flawed, messed up and unjustifiable female characters too well. All the female characters in this one were unlikable, going from slightly to extremely. Even Camille is unlikeable and makes very questionable choices, though I grew to feel for her.
A big “booo” for Richard who bailed as soon as he saw the scars. Can’t really blame him for wanting to stay as far away from all that as possible, but still. A special mention to Curry and Eileen, Camille’s calls to them and their concern for her made me tear up more than once.
This Family isn't nuclear not Toxic but it is creepy and disgusting at 1000 ways.. Would never turn these pages again. Like Who tf kills their own daughter and tries to justify the same.
I suppose this was well written but I didn't like it at all. I clocked the killer as soon as they were introduced. Lots unnecessary detailed descriptions... Also a huge CW for the whole book. I need to go find something happy to read now.
DNF about halfway. The rant about “liberal leftys trying to protect women from being raped” was all I could take. Very disappointed
Great story, but I honestly can't stand Flynn's writing style. The show is better, which I rarely say!
This book was sick in like a primal way. I never read any of her novels, but it really just wraps you up. I need like a romance novel or just something light after this I feel gross.
I absolutely loved Gone Girl, so I've been wanting to read this one for awhile. It's definitely dark, but I figured out the entire plot/culprit by page 51.
Okay I don't know what to say really. TW self harm in this book because I didn't know that and it got so dark and was really hard to read those parts. I also felt like there was just a lot of unnecessary gruesome stuff but maybe it was necessary?? I really liked the twist it was really crazy but besides that it made me really sad tbh
After so many times of having to restart this one I have to say that twist at the end was pretty good. I thought the story could have been shorter and dragged a lot but this was a good quick read to listen to get out of this major reading slump that I'm in.
Yall ... Like .... Hmmm...
This book is messed up. And I do mean MESSED UP. It is, by far, the most disturbing and memorable book I have ever read. Page turning, so incredibly descriptive. I can't say that enough. It is so detailed. You feel like you're there seeing, hearing, breathing right along with the characters. It's insane. I laughed (because that's how I process things sometimes), I cried, I was shooketh, to say the least. I worry about the author's thoughts because this book is messsseeddd up. But, dang if it wasn't good in it's own weird, descriptive, messed up way.
this book was quite possibly the darkest book I've ever read, and yet it was incredibly fascinating the entire way through, it was like I couldn't put it down. I found the writing style the most enticing piece of it, and I would be interested to read more books by this author with maybe more light? humor? I'm not entirely sure if that's something this author has in their catalog, but the writing style was so incredible to me, I stuck it out through the dark and the sad and the depressing.
Everything about this read felt deeply uncomfortable. From the sexualization of certain characters and sex itself having very purposeful, toxic intention to the apathetic and cruel remarks made about these small town murders of two young girls to the main character's history, relationship with her mother and her coping mechanisms, I felt very on edge throughout this whole book. With that being said, I really enjoyed it and had a hard time putting it down towards the end!
The author did a great job of pointing at certain conclusions then steering you away from them, making you feel as unsure and unsteady as the wildly unhealthy characters in the book.
Great twists and turns until the very end with the perfect amount of follow up/ tied ends to feel conclusive. Highly recommend as long as you're not looking for a “feel good” book!!
incredibly fucked up but in a beautiful way. gillian flynn i will be charging you for my therapy bill
This is the second book of Gillian Flynn's that I have read and I was so pleasantly surprised to see how different this was from the first. I love that this author doesn't stay in the same box and is always changing but still maintains the eerie feeling that Gone Girl had alluded.
The characters in this book are so twisted and unique in their own ways. I was struggling to pin someone down as trust worthy because I felt like every character had their own agendas and alternative motives. They were all complex and had their secrets and dark pasts.
Sharp Object was a rollercoaster. It came with so many twists and turns that left me reeling. This will definitely be a reread for me.