by Gillian Flynn, Crown Publishing, 2012

I had a little trouble getting my arms around this book.  The book is very readable and I think the methodology the author employed, which consisted of alternating entries by the husband and then the wife in this unusual marriage, was extremely effective.  These texts enabled me to understand the depth of the disconnect between the two individuals.

I can also relate to the effects of each spouse having such different backgrounds, he from a family of modest means from a small town in the Midwest, while she was from a fairly affluent family, growing up in a world of privilege in the East.  The differences become really apparent when they move back to his hometown.

There are also some twists and turns in the plot that made it enjoyable to read..

What didn’t I like about the book?  The ending, or lack of one.  After spending a considerable amount of time reading through the book, I naturally got hooked on where it was headed and where it would end up.  I was, to put it mildly, disappointed.  I won’t go into the details here, but if you read the book yourself, be prepared for what isn’t coming.

Shakespeare seems to have perfected the concept of “denouement” which is defined as:

1. the final resolution of the intricacies of a plot, as of a drama or novel.
2. the place in the plot at which this occurs.
3. the outcome or resolution of a doubtful series of occurrences

In addition to the actual definition, an author usually builds excitement and holds interest by building up to the denouement.  My issue with this book is that it is absolutely missing anything close to a denouement.  I would suggest that Ms. Flynn delve into some of Shakespeare’s plays to see if she could possibly apply this concept to her next book.  It would have really helped in the case of Gone Girl.