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August Book Review: Dark Places

My Reasons For Reading This Book

As I explained in my last book review, August Book Review: Sharp Objects (August Book Review: Sharp Objects), I loved Gillian Flynn's Gone Girl (March Book Review: Gone Girl )and had heard in a podcast that Gillian Flynn wrote two books before Gone Girl. Since I loved Gone Girl I thought that I why not read the two books she wrote prior to it. That is why I chose to read Gillian Flynn's second novel Dark Places.

Content of the Book

This book did not disappoint when it comes to the similarities that are found in Gillian Flynn's other books. There is always a murder that is somehow linked back to the main female character. I can't forget that part of the story has to take place in Missouri. Libby Day and her older brother Ben were the sole survivors of the Kinnakee, Kansa murders. Ben was found guilty for the murders as a result of seven year old Libby's testimony. Desperate times call for desperate measures. Libby is in need of money and jumps at the opportunity to discover wether or not her brother is truly responsible or not. A club fascinated with her family's murders are willing to finance Libby's investigation with the hope of freeing Ben after being locked up for 25 years. Libby's quest for the truth lands her in Missouri strip clubs and tourist towns in Oklahoma.

What I Liked About This Book

I like how this book is divided into chapters that are told from different characters point of views. The books also jumps from past to present, with present being Libby's point of view. I found the organization and layout of the story to be beneficial an ultimately aided in how the story progressed. I have to say that was one of the only redeeming qualities that this book had in my opinion. 

What I Disliked About This Book

I disliked a majority of this book. I went into it with an open mind, willing to like it, but just couldn't get over all the repulsive qualities. For starters for the size of the book the plot dragged on. There would be small revelations within in each chapter, but a majority of the chapter contained disgusting and unnecessary descriptions that distracted from the quality of the plot. Parts of this book left me unset and completely turned off from wanting to read in a way that I have never experienced before. I understand that bringing out the emotions of the reader is an important part of writing, but some of the senses in this book left me unsettled and disguised by the thought that this book could really happen. One quality that I look for in a book is the wanting and wondering of what is going to happen next. I did not find myself wanting to read this book and the desire to find out the truth. Instead I was forcing myself to finish the book in order to write a review. As someone who reads mostly thrillers I am often able to guess the ending of this book. Quite early on I was pretty sure how one part of the plot was going to end and I was right. As a reader I would much rather not be able to do that or have more unexpected plot twists than this book had.

Would I Recommend This Book?

This is not a book I would recommend to anyone; especially if you like Gone Girl. As soon as I started reading this book I wanted to stop. I persevered (that's what making myself read this book felt like) and finished it for the sake of this review. As I mentioned there was little that kept me reading this book. Just like how I felt about Sharp Objects, I really wanted to like this book, unfortunately I would have to say I would not recommend this book to anyone. If you liked Gone Girl do not read this book, it will make you question why you liked Gone Girl in the first place and I don't want anyone doing that.

Check out the other books I have reviewed

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