Sharp Objects

Genre: Fiction

This is the story of Camille Preaker, a crime reporter for a small newspaper in Chicago, Illinois. Camille’s home town of Wind Gap, Missouri has had a crime spree and Camille’s boss, Curry, sends her home to report on, what he is sure, is the work of a serial killer. Camille, for the first time in years, returns to the home where she grew up with a cold, inattentive mother and where she lost her little sister, from which she has never recovered. Camille meets her thirteen-year-old half-sister, Amma, for the first time and learns that growing up with a mother like theirs leaves you with scars, some literal and some emotional. We learn about the town, Camille’s family and about what happened to the two dead girls.

Flynn, author of Gone Girl and Dark Spaces, is masterful at writing a psychological thriller. But, unfortunately, this wasn’t entirely successful. To me, there was no mystery to this story as I guessed who it was from the very beginning. It felt more like a story about a family and how neglect and disinterest is just as destructive as outright violence and aggression. I also felt like Camille’s character wasn’t developed enough. We know from the beginning that she was not happy about going home and that her mother was not loving, but Camille was too much in her own head describing her feelings and there wasn’t enough of what was causing those feelings. This would have been a good book to tell from different perspectives as it would have shed more light on the storyline. Maybe becoming a good writer requires exercising one’s writing muscles. In this case, Flynn really does get better and better. Starting with Sharp Objects, she gets better with Dark Spaces and her best was with Gone Girl. From the perspective of seeing the progression, this was an interesting read and I’m glad I read it.

This book is being turned into an HBO limited series and released in July (from the makers of Big Little Lies). It might be interesting to check that out. But, definitely read the book before you watch the show!