Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Sharp Objects is a solid first novel, to which I would have given a higher rating, were it not for the summary technique in the conclusion that robs the reader of the experience of that year of discovery. Flynn does everything else right. Her characters are evocative, and the setting of the town is lush and vivid. The murders percolate in the consciousness while the protagonist lurches absentmindedly forward into danger. You will find yourself screaming at her not to be so stupid, courting peril with such intimacy, and it’s so in character. It’s damn near a 5-star book until the last few chapters and I still enjoyed it a lot (3-stars means I liked it :-{) It’s just not as good as it could have been, even though we are given a long, lovely tease. Sigh.