Dark Places by Gillian Flynn
Reviewed by Julie Nutt, Reference Assistant
Genre: Suspense, Thriller (domestic thriller)
Suggested age: Adult
What is this book about? Libby Day is the sole survivor after the brutal murder of her mother and sisters, supposedly committed by her older brother, Ben. Ben is found guilty of the crimes based on Libby’s testimony that she witnessed the attack first-hand. Libby’s existence has been consumed by the publicity surrounding the murders, never fully developing a life or personality of her own beyond the headlines. When Libby is tracked down by a true-crime enthusiast interested in her story and the belief that Ben is innocent, it is just the beginning of Libby’s journey to find the truth.
My review: “I have a meanness inside me, real as an organ.” – Libby Day. Flynn’s novel cuts deep into raw emotions and pivotal events that led up to the night of the family’s shocking deaths. Her biting prose provides an intense view of the characters’ struggles: Mom Patty’s anguish; Ben’s pain and desperation as a teen trying to fit in; Libby’s battle with her own memories. Not a single gritty, dirty detail is spared in painting the stark backdrop of rural Kansas, during the 1980’s farm recession.
Based on reading both Sharp Objects and Dark Places, Gillian Flynn is a master of ending with completely unexpected twists. In a 2019 article by ScreenRant, Flynn’s ending to the book/movie Gone Girl was “one of the best plot twists of the 2010’s.” In a 2019 interview with Entertainment Weekly, Flynn said, “I’ve always loved those ending of unease.” Just like Libby Day, you’ll think you’ve got the mystery figured out. But the truth? You’ll never see it coming.
Three words that describe this book: heavy, harsh, deep
Give this a try if you like: Dark, familial TV dramas and films like the HBO series Sharp Objects (based on the novel by Gillian Flynn), or Big Little Lies (based on the novel by Liane Moriarty); novel The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold (also a film); Paradise Lost (documentary on the West Memphis Three, teens convicted of murder based on “Satanic Panic” of the ‘70’s and ‘80’s)
Rating: 5/5
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