Gone Girl
As soon as I finished this book, I sat and tried to comprehend what was going through my mind. I was completely transfixed. I spent the past week centering my time around when I could go back to reading. I woke up read, ate, read, attempted a two mile run (failed), read, showered, read, ate, then read again. This is the type of book that makes you lose track of time, my week blurred, days felt the same. The only thing that changed was the story and my emotions trying to understand what exactly was going on in Gone Girl.
Gone Girl took me and threw me into the world of Amy and Nick Dunne. We are taken on a journey through Amy’s disappearance through Nick’s point of view, while simultaneously, reading past diary entries from Amy about Nick and their relationship. We learn how Nick and Amy grew to love each other and eventually, how to hate each other. The contrasting narratives from each character keep you on the edge of your seat; leaving you questioning who’s telling the truth and who is lying. One can easily pin Amy Dunne as a “pyscho bitch” (a term used a lot by Nick) but honestly I found her hilarious and brilliant. Now I’m not saying Amy is character to model after but she shouldn’t be overlooked. Her tactics, while extreme, create an insightful look into the struggles of the everyday woman.
One of my favorite parts in the book was when we find out the “truth” about Amy. I’ll refer to this chapter as the one about the “Cool Girl Theory.” The reason I decided to read this book was because I found an excerpt from it in another book, and I just had to know what it was all about. It goes:
“Men always say that as the defining compliment, don’t they? She’s a cool girl. Being the Cool Girl means I am a hot, brilliant, funny woman who adores football, poker, dirty jokes, and burping, who plays video games, drinks cheap beer, loves threesomes and anal sex, and jams hot dogs and hamburgers into her mouth like she’s hosting the world’s biggest culinary gang bang while somehow maintaining a size 2, because Cool Girls are above all hot. Hot and understanding. Cool Girls never get angry; they only smile in a chagrined, loving manner and let their men do whatever they want. Go ahead, shit on me, I don’t mind, I’m the Cool Girl…Men actually think this girl exists. Maybe they’re fooled because so many women are willing to pretend to be this girl.”
This quote is so god damn accurate it hurts. I’ve tried to be the “cool girl” and I feel that this, unfortunately, is a similar experience most women have. Gillian is a genius when it comes to constructing a struggle most women don’t think about but is so relatable to SO many people. I loved this chapter for acknowledging this issue to me. After finishing this book and self reflecting on my personal journey with it, I felt more inspired than ever to be myself. There’s so much power in embracing who you are than trying to be someone other people want you to be, and Gone Girl translate that message perfectly. Pick up this book for a read that’s so insanely entertaining,addicting, and so so empowering.
By: Emma Bone