I first saw this book listed in Parade magazine and though
it looked good. I saw it again in other magazines. I looked at it at Costco and
did not buy it. I thought ok, when I finish the next book I will get it! Then we decided to make it our selection for
this month! I hope others enjoyed the
book like I did.
That being said, I was frustrated by the book. Nick frustrated me. How could he be such a
patsy? His wife was missing. I never for
a minute believed he killed her. I must admit I was a bit surprised by her
calculating nature. Even though it was
hinted at in the very beginning, I still missed that to begin with. Amy was a manipulative, self serving evil
person. I suppose the best way to go about this is to follow the author’s
method of first one then the next!
Nick—Midwest kid wanting to break through the monotony of
his life goes off to the big city, meets extra special girl. Girl and boy fall in love, marry and proceed
to live the urban life they think they want.
However, boy feels repressed by his dysfunctional family at home in
Missouri. Dad hates women, has Alzheimer’s. Mom is over indulging, dying of
cancer and a force that seems to go on forever. Boy and girl lose jobs in
journalism industry. Boy and girl move to
Missouri where girl is not a happy camper.
Boy and girl have marital issues and boy begins to veer away from the
marriage.
Amy—New York born and bred, she is always in the limelight
as a result of her parents books in which she is the lead character. She always feels more a part of the book than
a real person but the reader does not get that until part two. Parents have the perfect relationship, she
wants, feels entitled to the same. She
does not know how to be herself outside the books. She is thorough, conniving, and evil, a true
sociopath who cares for absolutely no one but herself.
In assessing the characters I was disappointed that Nick had
the affair with Andie. It seemed out of character and beneath him. I wondered a
bit about the relationship with Margo (Go) his twin but realized that they were
equally codependent as created by their mother. I thought he hid behind the
alcohol too much and needed to be more proactive with the investigation. That
was before I learned of Andie! Afterward, it made more sense. Amy was a bit more complex. I did not see the
explicit plan she had concocted. I can understand being ticked off at her
husband for having an affair, but her vindictive response is something I cannot
comprehend. If you no longer want to be married to someone, divorce them.
I liked the way Ms. Flynn drew the reader into the
characters even though they frustrated me.
Nick grew as a person as we went through the book. Amy became more and
more sociopathic and evil. I loved the
way Nick began to read her and manipulate her. I had high hopes for his
survival. I truly believe each person
who is evil will get what they deserve.
Therefore, I did not anticipate her becoming pregnant and Nick staying
with her. I can only hope that while Nick
becomes the parent his father never was, Amy becomes totally smitten with the
child and actually overcomes her sociopathic nature turning into a loving
parent focused on her child in the way she never felt her own parents did. If not I am left to believe that the child is
doomed either to be killed by its mother or becoming an even more evil person
that she, having learned at the feet of a perfect example.
