Steph Reads: Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn

      After loving Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn so much I knew I had to get my hands on other books written by Flynn as I was absolutely entranced by her style of writing.  Sharp Objects follows Camille Preaker's return to her hometown after being freshly released from a mental hospital.  The reason for her return to her old stomping grounds is to investigate the gruesome homicides of two pre-teen girls.  Camille must face her past demons including her too-involved mother and clearly disturbed younger half-sister as well as her demons within.  Throughout the novel we slowly find out about Camille's painful past as she unravels the truth about the murders and her very own flesh and blood.
      I didn't find this story quite as gripping as Gone Girl as I felt the action was slower paced though the book was much shorter and a quicker read.  I did appreciate the twist ending that actually left me with a bit of closure (unlike the ending of Gone Girl).  This novel was extremely dark and twisted and kept me interested in a sick way.  Some of the characters were so maddening and disturbing that I had to keep reading just to see what they would do or say next.  Though some of the characters seem a bit like exaggerated stereotypes of people you might meet from day to day, I found many ways to connect with this book and liken characters to people I know in my own life which amplified my emotions as I was reading this. I definitely want to read Flynn's other book, Dark Places, as all I can say about her after reading this and Gone Girl is she is a gutsy writer who isn't afraid to go there.  I recommend this book but only if you're in the mood for a slow mystery novel that takes its time to pan out.  If you're looking for a fun and light summer read, I would save this for another time!

Also, apparently this book is being turned into a mini series on the Entertainment network! I am actually extremely interested in seeing the series because of the interesting exaggerated characters I mentioned. It should be a drama-filled and intense show.
xxSJ

Check out my other Steph Reads posts!
What Alice Forgot by Lianne Moriarty
Uninvited by Sophie Jordan
Splintered by AG Howard
Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn
Beneath the Glitter by Elle and Blair Fowler