Book Review: Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn (2006)

Sharp Objects is a psychological thriller written by Gillian Flynn. The book was published in 2006 and is Flynn’s debut novel. The story follows Camille Preaker, a troubled journalist who returns to her hometown to investigate the murders of two young girls.

Camille is a journalist who is struggling to make a name for herself. When two young girls are murdered in her hometown, her editor assigns her to cover the story. Camille is reluctant to go back to her hometown, Wind Gap, as she has not been back since she left after high school. However, she sees this as an opportunity to get her career back on track.

When she arrives in Wind Gap, she is met with hostility from the townspeople, who are suspicious of her and her motives. Camille’s family is also a source of tension for her, as she has a complicated relationship with her mother and half-sister. As she begins to investigate the murders, she is forced to confront her own troubled past and deal with the demons that have haunted her for years.

Flynn’s writing style is gripping and intense, and she does an excellent job of building suspense throughout the novel. The plot is complex and well-developed, and the characters are fleshed out and intriguing. One of the things that sets “Sharp Objects” apart from other psychological thrillers is the way that Flynn handles mental illness and self-harm.

Camille is a deeply troubled character who has a history of self-harm. Flynn does an excellent job of exploring the reasons behind Camille’s self-harm and the impact that it has on her life. She also depicts mental illness in a way that is both honest and respectful, and she does not shy away from showing the harsh realities of living with mental illness.

Another aspect of the novel that stands out is the way that Flynn handles the theme of motherhood. Camille’s mother, Adora, is a complex and fascinating character who is both loving and abusive. Adora’s relationship with Camille and her half-sister, Amma, is complicated and fraught with tension, and Flynn does an excellent job of exploring the ways in which Adora’s motherhood has affected her daughters.

The setting of the novel, Wind Gap, is also an important aspect of the story. Wind Gap is a small, rural town where everyone knows everyone else’s business. The town is portrayed as claustrophobic and suffocating, and the tension between the townspeople adds to the overall feeling of unease and suspense in the novel.

Sharp Objects is an excellent psychological thriller that is sure to keep readers on the edge of their seats. Flynn’s writing style is gripping and intense, and she does an excellent job of building suspense throughout the novel. The characters are complex and intriguing, and the themes of mental illness, self-harm, and motherhood are handled with honesty and respect. If you are a fan of psychological thrillers, then Sharp Objects is definitely worth checking out. You can get a copy of Sharp Objects from Amazon here.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5.
Advertisement

Leave a Reply

Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in:

WordPress.com Logo

You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. Log Out /  Change )

Facebook photo

You are commenting using your Facebook account. Log Out /  Change )

Connecting to %s