A canny young woman is struggling to survive by perpetrating various levels of mostly harmless fraud. On a rainy April morning, she is reading auras at Spiritual Palms when Susan Burke walks in. A keen observer of human behavior, our unnamed narrator immediately diagnoses beautiful, rich Susan as an unhappy woman eager to give her lovely life a drama injection. However, when the "psychic" visits the eerie Victorian home that has been the source of Susan's terror and grief, she realizes she may not have to pretend to believe in ghosts anymore. Miles, Susan's teenage stepson, doesn't help matters with his disturbing manner and grisly imagination. The three are soon locked in a chilling battle to discover where the evil truly lurks and what, if anything, can be done to escape it.
A canny young woman is struggling to survive by perpetrating various levels of mostly harmless fraud. On a rainy April morning, she is reading auras at Spiritual Palms when Susan Burke walks in. A keen observer of human behavior, our unnamed narrator immediately diagnoses beautiful, rich Susan as an unhappy woman eager to give her lovely life a drama injection. However, when the "psychic" visits the eerie Victorian home that has been the source of Susan's terror and grief, she realizes she may not have to pretend to believe in ghosts anymore. Miles, Susan's teenage stepson, doesn't help matters with his disturbing manner and grisly imagination. The three are soon locked in a chilling battle to discover where the evil truly lurks and what, if anything, can be done to escape it.
Great. The movie adaptation is really close to the novel. So no surprises if you saw the movie first. But I found the first part a bit slow since I knew where this was heading. Beautifully written.
This book had some interesting plot twists, but at the end of the day, none of the main characters was at all likable. They had no redeeming characteristics that might make me care what happened to them. The two main characters deserved each other. Disappointing.
Honestly, that's how I felt when I finished the book...and not in a good way. It probably deserves a better rating, but "it was OK" is all I could stand to give it when I finished. (Dark Places is a much better book, by the way.)
I'm not going to be popular with this, but...
WHAT DID I JUST READ!?!?
Honestly, that's how I felt when I finished the book...and not in a good way. It probably deserves a better rating, but "it was OK" is all I could stand to give it when I finished. (Dark Places is a much better book, by the way.)
Well, I have to say I've never read a book with some really fucked up characters like this one. But it was awesome. I loved how many turns it has, how nothing is as expected and how everything is so surprising.
Definitely worth reading. And now David Fincher is making the movie, so more reason to read it!
Well, I have to say I've never read a book with some really fucked up characters like this one. But it was awesome. I loved how many turns it has, how nothing is as expected and how everything is so surprising.
Definitely worth reading. And now David Fincher is making the movie, so more reason to read it!
I simply must give any book that so totally kidnaps me five stars. If you know anyone who has read this book, do not let him/her tell you anything about it. Seriously. Gillian Flynn writes this story so cleverly that it is hard to put down, and I am one of those people who thought the ending was perfect. Don't peek. DON'T peek.
I simply must give any book that so totally kidnaps me five stars. If you know anyone who has read this book, do not let him/her tell you anything about it. Seriously. Gillian Flynn writes this story so cleverly that it is hard to put down, and I am one of those people who thought the ending was perfect. Don't peek. DON'T peek.